Lilly Valenti Pla

PLA, Lilly Valenti, 91, passed away Wednesday, November 26, 2014. She was born in Tampa to her parents, Andrea and Giovannina Valenti, both from Sicily. Lilly was a graduate of Hillsborough High School and worked as a bookkeeper until she retired in the 1990s. She was also an accomplished seamstress who designed and made much of the clothing she wore. Lilly loved ballroom dancing and could be found many Saturday nights at the Coliseum Ballroom in St. Petersburg and at other popular dances. Lilly married Bill S. Pla in 1942 and they had two children, Dr. William T. Pla, DC, who passed away in 1998, and Bruce E. Pla, Sr., daughter-in-law, Teresa B. Pla, of Temple Terrace. She is also survived by four grandchildren; Cheri Wight of Deltona, Jennifer Poulis of New Orleans, Bruce E. Pla, Jr. of San Francisco, and Alexander T. Pla of Temple Terrace. She also had two great-grandchildren, Todd and Ashtyn. Lilly was one of six children. She was predeceased by her brothers, Sam and Ernest Valenti, and survived by her sisters, Annie DeCos, Mary Wirth, and Alice Rice. The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m., Thursday, December 4, 2014 at Blount & Curry, Terrace Oaks Chapel. A Mass of Resurrection will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m., Friday, December 5th, at Corpus Christi Catholic Church. Interment in Garden of Memories Cemetery, Tampa.