Maria DiPietro Cortellucci

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Maria DiPietro Cortellucci, our loving, caring and devoted mother, nonna, bisnonna and friend to all whose lives she touched. On Sunday December 13, 2020, she left us peacefully surrounded by her loving family at her residence in Thornhill, Ontario in her 96th year.

Private Family Funeral Mass will be held on December 16, 2020 at 10:00 am at St. Paschal Baylon Church. Due to COVID protocols and restrictions on attendance to the funeral service, the funeral service is Private at the church. A link to join and watch by live-stream Please view here http://ipickart.ca/stream/Cortellucci (please be patient, livestream will work when mass starts)

The family asks in lieu of flowers you consider donating to St. Pascal Baylon Church or Missionaries of Saint Charles or a charity of your choice. Donations can be made here https://saintpaschal.org/

Maria DiPietro Cortellucci

Maria was born on September 24, 1924, in the rural farmland of Caprafico, Teramo, Abruzzo, Italy to parents Diodoro Di Pietro and Serafina Di Luciano. She married the love of her life, Pietro, in 1946 in Rapino, Italy. She immigrated to Canada on December 23, 1962 with her four children, Mario, Joe, Vilma and Gabriele and they were embraced by her husband Pietro and son Nicola who worked diligently to reunite their family.

She was the loving mother of Nicola (Rosanne), Mario (Ginesia), Joseph (Anna), Vilma (Manuel), and Gabriele (Silvana) and the proud nonna of Nicholas, Fabrizio (Nicole), Sabrina (Dino), Claudia (Jonathan), Maria (Casey), Pietro, Romina, Stefano, Michael (Nadine), Anthony, Robert (Jennifer), Joseph, Jonathan, Daniel (Alanna), Gabriel and Leonardo. She was also the proudest bisnonna of Allegra, Christian, Bianca, Ilaria, Bea, Federica, Chiara, Simona, Austin, Sia, Matthew, Vivienne, Lucas, Mason, Marcus.

Maria’s unconditional love for her 5 children, Nicola, Mario, Joe, Vilma and Gabriele was professed on a daily basis all her life. In Italy she provided all the necessity of life for her family: worked the land, washed clothes in the Fiumo Vomano and cooked delicious meals with straw and pieces of driftwood. Maria overcame all her struggles with passion, determination, perseverance and her devout faith and love of God. She had a heart of gold, was selfless, and always expressed a positive outlook on life and a giving spirit to all.

Nonna’s (16) grandchildren and (15) great grandchildren were deeply loved and adored. Her presence spoke to the soul of all with her gentle smile and bright and warm essence, even in moments of cold and darkness. When she spoke, her innately intelligent wisdom gained through a humble life guided and challenged by altruism, faith, and love shone luminously. Her words were soft, but strong enough to carry; her harshest comments spoken with the innocence of a child’s laughter, her discipline and strength never intimidating, her comfort always available, her teachings not taught but felt, her feelings deep and benevolent, her family loved and nurtured, her love pure, free, and forever.

Maria’s greatest joy and admiration was for her family, friends and priests. Her gift of giving of herself, generosity, welcoming heart and kindness for all who crossed her path were evident in all she said and did. A farm girl at heart, gardening and her greenhouse were her passion. She had the talent and gift of cultivating beautiful plants. She loved to cook and fed anyone who entered her home. She kept an immaculate home, loved to knit her sleepers, (paposhi), for her grandchildren and gave gifts when friends left her home. Maria instilled in her sons and daughter the core ethical values of trust, respect, and integrity which continue to serve them well. She will be dearly missed and forever in our hearts. We are blessed and will treasure forever our precious, countless memories of her magnanimous heart and magnificent presence.

She is now at peace in God’s loving hands.