Antoinette Frezza (née Cece), age 97, of Clinton Township, Michigan passed away peacefully on December 23, 2024. She was born on May 6, 1927 in Detroit, Michigan, to Frank and Alessandra Cece, one of their six children. Antoinette lived a life marked by love, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to her family.
Antoinette met the love of her life, Danny A. Frezza, and the two were married on August 24, 1946. Their union was filled with laughter, joy, and mutual admiration, especially for Danny’s sense of humor, which never failed to make Antoinette smile. As a young woman, Antoinette pursued her dream of becoming a secretary, attending business school to learn typing and shorthand. She worked as a secretary until the birth of her first child, after which she dedicated herself wholeheartedly to being a homemaker. Antoinette did work part-time here and there at the schools helping out as a hall monitor and lunch room monitor. Her proudest accomplishments were raising her two children and later celebrating their weddings. She cherished her role as a wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and even great-great-grandmother. Antoinette found immense joy in spending time with her family, especially during holidays at her mother’s home on Hazelridge in Detroit and on visits to her husband’s family in California. She was a wonderful cook, known for her pasta and baking, and enjoyed sharing meals and stories around the table. She encouraged her family to live a life balanced between work, family time and rest.
Antoinette loved music, particularly the timeless tunes of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, the Rat Pack, and Neil Diamond. She enjoyed ballroom dancing and later continued to dance and socialize with friends at the senior center, where she also played in a bocce ball league and took exercise classes. She also found joy in crocheting, getting together over coffee with friends or family, and simply being surrounded by loved ones. Antoinette even found time to volunteer time in helping others, helping at the polls during election times and volunteering at the hospital for a time following her husband’s death. She hoped to be remembered as a loving and caring wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—and her family and friends will undoubtedly carry her memory as exactly that, and as a life well-lived, though she will be deeply missed and fondly remembered.
Antoinette is survived by her daughter, Loretta Macklem (Walt); her grandchildren, Christopher Frezza (Leslie), Laura Fisette (Dan), Michael Frezza (Kristen), Daniel Frezza (Shawn), Carolyn Eggerd (Steve), Loren Macklem (Julie), Andrea Macklem-Zabel, Walter Macklem (Unnur) and Loretta Clements (Bill); 21 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great grandchild. She is preceded in death by her husband of 41 years, Danny A. Frezza, her son Danny G. Frezza and her daughter-in-law Julie Frezza.
A visitation will be held on Friday January 3, 2024 from 3-8 PM, with a rosary service at 7 PM at Resurrection Funeral Home, 40800 Hayes Road, Clinton Township, Michigan 48038. Following on Saturday, January 4, 2024 an instate gathering will begin at 9:30 AM until time of a funeral mass at 10 AM at St. Paul of Tarsus Catholic Church, 41300 Romeo Plank Rd, Clinton Township, Michigan 48038. She will be laid to rest next to her husband at Resurrection Cemetery in Clinton Township, Michigan.
In memory of Antoinette, donations are appreciated to the Clinton Township Senior Center, 40730 Romeo Plank Rd, Clinton Twp, Michigan 48038 and Brighton Hospice, 26075 Woodward Ave #300, Huntington Woods, Michigan 48070.
