Lucia Malagisi

Lucia Malagisi, 84 years old, passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by her loving family in Port Charlotte, FL on February 21, 2023. She was born in Castleforte, Italy on September 24, 1938, daughter of Alessandro and Luiga D’Arpino.

Lucia was orphaned at the age of 5 during WWII and she and her younger sister, Margherita, were relocated by the Red Cross to an orphanage in Switzerland run by Catholic nuns for displaced children during the war. At the age of 16, Lucia returned to Italy.

One day, as she was walking into church, a boy who was walking out of church, caught her eye, who would later become her husband, Antonio Malagisi. Throughout their 64 years of marriage, Lucia often told her family that “it was love at first sight.” They got engaged and Antonio immigrated to the United States so he could provide a better life for he and his future bride. He returned to Italy and they were married on May 24, 1958. Antonio and Lucia then returned to the United States together to begin their life. They originally settled in Ambler, PA and eventually moved to Stamford, CT where they raised 5 children. In 1976, the family left CT and moved to Port Charlotte, FL. Lucia supported Antonio as he embarked on a new business venture creating a fulfilling life for his wife and children. Lucia was a homemaker, who always put her family first. She taught herself to sew and became an accomplished seamstress. She loved baking specialty cakes but the one thing she always felt important was to make sure her family always had homemade bread in the house. Lucia was a devout Catholic and was a parishioner of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church.

She was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. She is predeceased by her husband, Antonio Malagisi and her son, Luigi Malagisi.

She is survived by her daughters, Anna Rispoli (Michael), Lisa Malagisi, Margaret Craig (Robert), and her son, Pasquale Malagisi (Julie). Also surviving are her grandchildren Danielle Farricker Shriver (Jason), Kyle Vulgamore (Kristen), Meghan and Robert Craig Jr., Nicholas, Anthony, Alexis, Luciano, Hayden Malagisi, and Dylan Dunford, Michael, Ashley and Kristen Rispoli (Connor Golden) and her great grandchildren, Olivia Shriver and Shea Vulgamore. She is also survived by her sister, Margherita D’Arpino of Italy and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held at Kay’s-Ponger & Uselton Funeral Home, 2405 Harbor Blvd., Port Charlotte, FL 33952 on Wednesday, March 1, 2023 from 6pm-8pm for a Celebration of Life gathering. A mass of Catholic burial will be held at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, 21505 Augusta Ave., Port Charlotte, FL 33952 on Thursday, March 2, 2023 at 11:00 am followed by a committal service at Restlawn Memorial Gardens, 1380 Forrest Nelson Blvd., Port Charlotte, FL 33952.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Tidewell Hospice.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.kayspongerpc.com for the Malagisi family.