Rae D Depalma

Rae DePalma, 87, of Palm City, Florida passed away at her home on Monday, January 9, 2017. She was “a classy lady” known for her unique fashion style and mouth-watering cooking and had been a long-time resident of Boca Raton. She was born in Brooklyn, New York on April 30, 1929, the daughter of prominent Long Island builder, Pasquale Maiorino, and realtor Louise “Lulu” Orlando. She graduated from Sewanhaka High School and later received her certification as a professional bookkeeper. A widow twice-over of two veterans, she was married to Thomas J. Curran from Newry, Northern Ireland, until his death in 1971, and years later married Alphonse F. DePalma who passed away in 1984. Rae worked as an accounts receivable bookkeeper for companies such as Bloomingdales and Dalton Funeral Home. She was also a restaurant owner in Seaford, NY of the Powell’s Hotel Restaurant. She raised her children Thomas and Patricia in Uniondale and was later very active in raising her grandchildren in Levittown. Well into her sixties she was known around Nassau County, Long Island for driving her red Chrysler convertible, top-down with big band Italian-American tunes blaring. In the 80s and 90s, she was inducted into the National Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs and a member of the Humanitarian Society. In later years, Rae moved to Boca Raton and was active in multiple clubs in Century Village serving as Treasurer for the Italian-American Club and a member of the 60’s club and the Red Hat Society. She also served in the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Citizen Observer Patrol unit. She had a passion for reading mysteries and playing card games and Mah Jongg.

She is survived by her daughter Patricia Jacobs, her grandchildren Sean Curran, Tara Jacobs, Kasey Jacobs, Kaitlyn Curran, and Garrett Jacobs, and her sister Lucille Matthews. A memorial celebration will be held at 2pm on Saturday, January 28th, 2017 at the Palm City home she shared with her granddaughter Kasey. In lieu of flowers, the family is hoping friends donate to Talking Books, a service that really helped Rae in her last years when legally blind as she was an avid reader all her life. (Website for donations: www.loc.gov/nls/donate.html.)

To leave an online condolence to the family, please visit our website at www.aycockfuneralhome.net