Giovanna was a long-time resident of East Hartford, residing in the home she and her late husband, Dominick raised their family. She was born in Pratola Peligna, province of L’Aquila, Italy on December 8, 1928, the youngest child of the late Berardino and Agatha (Rossi) deStefanis. She was predeceased by her siblings Assunta, Bice, Ersilia, Lucia, Maria, Erminio and Vincenzo.
In her early years in Connecticut, Giovanna worked as a seamstress at a small dress shop in Hartford prior to her retirement from the Wiremold Co. in 1995 after 30 years of service. She was a faithful communicant of St. Isaac Jogues in East Hartford for many years, as well as St. Francis of Assisi in South Windsor more recently. Giovanna and her husband enjoyed attending gatherings and events for the Pratolana Society.
One of her greatest joys included spending time with her family. When she wasn’t preparing wonderful meals for them or baking cookies, you could find her gardening and meticulously grooming her lawn or visiting with neighbors on Andover Road. Giovanna’s children and grandchildren will always remember her saying to them, “Be good and watch out for the bad people”.
She will be deeply missed by her son, Domenico (Dom) DiCioccio and his wife, Judy (Schachtler) of Clinton, NY and their daughters, Cassandra (Dr. Casey) and Rachel; her daughter, with whom she resided, Rita Fogarty and her husband, David of South Windsor and their children, Elizabeth (Fogarty) Jones and her husband Brian and their sons, Tyler and Nathan, Daniel Fogarty and his significant other, Leah Buracchi and their son, Dylan, as well as Michael Fogarty and his significant other, Kaylee McAvoy. She also leaves many nieces, nephews and cousins both here in the United States and in Italy; especially, Mentina (Palombizio) Rossi, Sergio and Viliam Palombizio, all in Italy.
Giovanna’s family would like to express sincere gratitude to Dr. Kagaoan and staff, Dr. Marcello and staff and Dr. Lorich of the Family Medicine team, as well as, the nursing staff of the CHF Unit on 5-1 at St. Francis Hospital for their care and compassion.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, November 20th at 10 a.m. at the St. Francis of Assisi Church of the St. Junipero Serra Parish, 673 Ellington Road, South Windsor, CT 06074. Everyone is asked to go directly to church. Burial will follow in Mt. St. Benedict Cemetery, Bloomfield. Family and friends may call on Tuesday, November 19th from 4 - 7 p.m. at the D’Esopo Funeral Chapel, 277 Folly Brook Blvd., Wethersfield. Donations in memory of Giovanna may be made to Saint Junipero Serra Parish c/o Father Carlos, 80 Hayes Road, South Windsor, CT 06074.
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