Irma Mary Di Iullo Ferrante

Irma Mary Di Iullo Ferrante, 91, of Girard, passed away on Monday June 11, 2012 at Omni Manor.  She was born January 11, 1921 in San Pietro Avellana, Italy, the daughter of the late Pasquale & Carmela Colaizzi Di Iullo.  Irma arrived in the United States in 1927 and lived on the East Side of Youngstown.  She graduated from East High School and lived in Girard since 1950. She was a member of St. Rose Church, Mount Carmel Society and was past president of Mt. Carmel Society. She made pizza on Fridays for the church, volunteered at St. Rose School Cafeteria and worked bingo for many years.  Irma was an excellent seamstress who helped make the altar cloths for St. Rose Church and also helped her husband at Lee's Shoe Repair in Girard. She was a kind, soft-spoken, loving wife, a devoted mother, and wonderful grandmother. She was an important & central part of the family and her house was always "open" to family & friends.   She taught her children the value of a family and what it means to be an Italian.  She loved to be surrounded by the family at dinners and excelled in cooking and baking, having many of the Italian cultures and values in her home. Her family was blessed to have wonderful & caring parents, who live on forever in our hearts. Irma is survived by her son Don (Donna) Ferrante of Uniontown, OH, Anita (George) Spatar of Girard & Pat Cronin of Mentor, OH, grandchildren, Jeff (Leslie) Spatar, Rob (Wendi) Spatar, Anthony (Sherrie) Spatar & David Cronin, five great-grandchildren, Justin, Taylor, Nicholas, Sophia, & Daniel, and many nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by her husband Oreste "Lee" Ferrante whom she married September 6, 1943, infant twins, Mary & David who died shortly after birth, sisters, Helen Ross, Gina Mazzocco & Mary Revis, brothers, Frank Di Iullo & Albert Di Ullo.  A Mass of a Christian Burial will be held on Thursday June 14, 2012 at 11:00 AM at St. Rose Church, with calling hours one hour prior from 10:00 AM till time of mass at the church.  Arrangements were entrusted to Blackstone Funeral Home in Girard.  The family would like to thank the staff at Omni Manor Healthcare for their excellent care.  Visit www.blackstonesfh.com to view this obituary and send condolences to the Ferrante family.