Filomena Zotta DeFrancesco

January 1, 1923 - January 1, 2015

TROY ~ Filomena Zotta DeFrancesco, 92, entered into eternal rest on Thursday, The Feast Day of the Solemnity of Mary, January 1, 2015. Filomena was born on February 21, 1922, in Pietragalla, Province of Basicilata, Italy, a daughter of the late Maria Antonia Pafundi and Michele Zotta. She was educated in her home town and on January 17, 1935 at the young age of 12, immigrated with her younger sister Maria Donata (Mary) to America. She lived with her brother Gaetano Zotta and a sister Carmela DeBonis and their families in Schenectady and Troy. She used her self taught talents of tatting, crocheting and sewing to earn monies to support herself and her sister. She married her husband Carmen DeFrancesco on January 27, 1946 and settling in Troy, where she remained at home to raise her children. In 1960, she began work at Hasso Furs in downtown Troy and retired after 27 years as a fur finisher. In 1977, the same great independence, resilience and energy Filomena demonstrated while acclimating to a new country as a young girl, was evident again when her husband Carmen suffered a stroke. She successfully learned to manage the household finances and made sure she not only met Carmen's care management needs, but also had enough resources and love to share with everyone else. No one left Filomena's house without being coerced into eating a meal or leaving with a Dixie Cup of Ice Cream or a bag of cookies. In keeping with her independence, Filomena also learned to drive and acquired her license at the tender age of 56, at which point there was no stopping her. She was always on the move to her many clubs, affiliations, and of course, to her beloved Bocce League at the Italian Community Center. She was also a longtime member of the Pietragalla Club, Home Bureau, Troy Seniors, Troy and a devoted communicant of St. Francis deSales Church (3rd Order of St. Francis) and St. Henry's Church. As she became older and could no longer drive, Filomena never slowed down. She used the bus system as her chauffer no matter how many transfers she needed to take to attend her various clubs, activities and visit friends and family. Never one to sit for long, she joined a walking group that met in the Latham Circle Mall and circumnavigated the mall for hours, or walked to the Price Chopper for groceries. When she was no longer able to meet her friends, she walked up and down her hall stairs to get exercise or attended aerobics at the Troy Seniors. Despite the advancement of age, Filomena always remained independent, mentally sharp and loving. Her family, Italian heritage, and her role as mother, sister, grandmother, great grandmother and friend, was the most important thing to Filomena. This is where she drew her strength and left her legacy. Her life had many obstacles, yet through it all, her resilience, love and caring for her family remained her focus, and in so many ways, she was able to show that love to us. No matter what was transpiring in her personal life, she made everyone feels as if they were the only ones in her life. She nurtured everyone. Filomena through her sacrifices, example of living and strength gave us all a better life. She will be greatly missed, but always remembered. Filomena was predeceased by her beloved husband, Carmen DeFrancesco; a brother, Gaetano, and sisters, Carmella DeBonis, Angela Maria Rotundi and Mary A. Scarchilli; and a son-in-law, Joseph Riggione Jr. She is survived by her devoted children Adelina Riggione, of New Hope, PA and John A. DeFrancesco and his wife Paula, Of Cropseyville; loving grandchildren; whom she adored, Gina Riggione, Joseph Riggione, III and his wife Jennifer, April and Marci DeFrancesco; Dayna Stevens and her fiancé Scott Cummings and Jamie Hollenbeck and her husband William; great-grandchildren, Corey White and Ryan, Brandon, Morgan, and Logan Riggione; her cherished and oldest friend, Molly Ciccarelli, dear friends, Rick Reo and Carol Hyatt, who loved her like a sister; her grand doggies, Nimbus, Snoop, Roscoe and Archie; many loving nieces, nephews also survive. Services will be held on Tuesday morning at 9 am from the Perry-Komdat Funeral Chapel, 2691 New York 43, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Henry's Church at 10am. Interment will follow in St. Mary's Cemetery, Troy. Relatives and friends are invited and may call at the Perry-Komdat Funeral Chapel on Monday from 4 to 7 pm. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Fil's memory to The Pines at Heartwood, Activity Department, 2405 15th Street, Troy, NY 12180. Please visit www.rossiditorofuneralhome.com for online condolences.