Yolanda Romanelli Santa Lucia

Yolanda was born on March 10, 1925, in Silvi , Teramo , Italy, to Guilia De Amicis and Nicola Romanelli.

When she was just 3 years old she boarded a ship with her mother and her younger brother, Aldo, for the journey to America and a new life. They entered through Ellis Island and traveled to settle in Detroit, Michigan.

Soon, Yolanda was the oldest of 4 siblings after the arrival of brothers Ernesto and Quintino who were born in the United States. After attending school through the 8th grade she continued her education to become a hairdresser and eventually opened her own beauty salon and employed many friends and family throughout the years.

When Yolanda was 17 she was a bridesmaid in a friend’s wedding and it was there that she met an “older” guy, Stephano Santa Lucia, who was 24 years old and had immigrated from Sicily as a young boy. It really was love at first sight and this began a love affair that lasted forever. They celebrated 60 anniversaries before Steve passed away in 2001.

In the mid 1960s Yolanda and Steve made a big move to South Florida. Yolanda gave up her career as a hairdresser and helped Steve open Allied Doors, Inc., which remains a family business to this day.

Yolanda and Steve embraced the South Florida lifestyle of sun, swimming and boating. They also spent a lot of time entertaining family and friends from up north as well as close neighbors.

Faith and family were everything to Yolanda and she was a founding member of St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in Lighthouse Point, Florida, where she lived. She spent many years sewing the altar cloths and tending to the flowers in the church.

Yolanda was known for her two “loves”-cooking and red corvettes. She was an outstanding cook and shared her culinary skills with many. She continued to cook for herself until the end of her life. 

As for her love of red corvettes, her first one was a 1958 convertible that she purchased right off the assembly line in Detroit and her last one was a 2005 model that she drove until she was 96 years old.

Yolanda was preceded in death by the love of her life, Steve, as well as her brothers Aldo and his wife Evelyn, Ernesto and his wife Pauline and youngest brother Quintino.

She is survived by Quintino’s wife, Lois, with whom she shared a very special “sisterly” bond until the end of her life.

“Auntie Yo” had a special place in her heart for the Romanelli men in her life. Her brothers Aldo, Ernie and Quint were her best friends and their sons Allen, Dennis, Steven, Michael, Gary, David and Robert meant the world to her.

She was also very, very close to her great nieces and nephews and shared many family stories as well as life lessons with them throughout the years.

In the last decade of her life she gained many more fans as her great-great nieces and nephews were in awe of her.

A Celebration of her long and loving Life will take place on Saturday, April 6th, 2024, at 1:00 pm at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, 2700 NE 36th Street, Lighthouse Point, Florida 33064

A reception in the church hall will follow the Mass.

In lieu of flowers the family kindly asks for donations in Yolanda’s memory be made to St. Paul’s Church at the above address or to a charitable organization of your choice.