Carmela Bonsignore

Carmela "Millie" Bonsignore, a devoted daughter, wife, mother, and friend, passed away on September 22nd, 2023. She was born, an only child, on September 13, 1921, in Brooklyn, New York, to immigrant parents from Sicily. Her parents founded a food store during the depression known as Cozzo's Grocery Store in the Canarsie section of Brooklyn. As an Italian immigrant her father was unable to read or write in English and she chose to drop out of high school to help run the store. The family owned the building and lived in apartments over the store where she raised her family.

During World War Two, at her cousin's wedding, Millie met the love of her life, Sunny (Anthony) who served in the Army Air Corp. They married in 1947, and together raised their children, Virginia and Anthony. Millie and Sunny eventually took on the responsibility of running the family store.

The Canarsie residence was the setting for family activities for a large extended family catered by Millie. She was famous for her sausage and peppers and fried cardoon. The store was the place that neighbors came to buy provisions, but more importantly to converse with Millie about any and everything. She was always available to lend a helping hand.

Millie was a devout parishioner at Our Lady of Miracles in Canarsie.

In 1992, Millie and Sunny retired, selling the grocery store they had dedicated their lives to. They embarked on journeys together, traveling and creating cherished memories until Sunny's untimely passing in 2000. Millie found solace and companionship in local Senior Centers (Catholic and Jewish), where she made many dear friends and often volunteered. Her radiant smile and endless life stories endeared her to everyone she met. She was happy to offer advice to other customers in supermarkets on the viability of fruits and vegetables which she knew well.

Millie will be remembered for her boundless generosity, her radiant smile that could brighten any room, and her laughter that could fill hearts with joy. She lived independently in Canarsie until the remarkable age of 99, becoming a cherished fixture in her community and an avid follower of the stock market. In 2020, she moved in with her daughter Virginia and Sandy at their home in Neptune, New Jersey. Millie's 100th birthday was a milestone celebrated in grand style, surrounded by the love of her family and friends, earning her a place on the “Smucker's Jar."

Millie is survived by her son Anthony, his wife Jeannie, by her daughter Virginia, partner Sandy Krueger and their extended Krueger family, including Kevin, Jill, Dylan, Jack, Terry, Heather, Sullivan, Nora, Katie, Dan, Owen, and Troy.

Millie's memory will live on in the hearts of all who were touched by her warmth and kindness. Those who had the privilege of knowing Millie will forever remember her as a beloved matriarch, and they will fondly declare, "102 years with Millie was not enough."

A visitation for Carmela will be held Tuesday, September 26, 2023, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Casey McCallum Rice South Shore Funeral Home, 30 Nelson Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10308. A funeral service will occur Wednesday, September 27, 2023, at 11:00 AM at St. Clare Church, 110 Nelson Ave, Staten Island, NY 10308. A committal service will occur Wednesday, September 27, 2023, at 1:15 PM at The Evergreens Cemetery, 1629 Bushwick Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11207.