Fanny C. Tucciarone

Filomena “Fanny” Mele was born on July 17th, 1926, in West New York, New Jersey. She was the eldest of two daughters born to Luigi Mele and Antoinette Mele née Rocco, who had both emigrated to the United States from neighboring villages in Basilicata, Italy.

From an early age, Fanny demonstrated keen intelligence and excelled academically. She graduated as Class of 1942 Salutatorian at Memorial High School in West New York. Her senior yearbook was filled with typed and handwritten praise for her intellect and kind-heartedness. After declining a full scholarship offer to study Foreign Languages at Middlebury College, an extremely rare opportunity for a young woman at that time, she attended Brooklyn College in Brooklyn, NY and Columbia Teacher’s College in Manhattan, NY. She would begin her career working as an educator in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

On July 16, 1950, she married Mario Anthony Tucciarone, the man who would remain her husband until his death earlier this year. Together they had three sons John, Louis and James. For more than 40 years she balanced motherhood and homemaking with her career as an educator and school administrator. But as her husband’s success in the real estate industry grew, she would ultimately join his firm as a bookkeeper and advisor. She continued working in that role until she was nearly 90 years old..

Her commitment to family was exceptional. In addition to supporting her husband and raising her three sons and then helping to raise her five grandchildren, Fanny remained very close to her sister Rae and Rae’s husband Tony. She also served as the primary caretaker for her late mother until her death at the age of 102 in October 2002. Fanny was also an outstanding cook who grew her own basil and tomatoes until she could no longer physically crouch to tend them and continued preparing great feasts for her extended family and friends, especially her Christmas Eve seafood feast, into her 90s.

Throughout her life she volunteered in many roles at her local parishes, Mary’s Nativity, Flushing and Sacred Heart, Bayside. Well into her late 80s, she and husband Mario delivered meals to homebound seniors in her community.

Fanny is survived by her sons John and Louis, her sister Rae and brother-in-law Tony, her daughters-in-law Helen and Debbie, her grandchildren Alexander, David, Laura, Gabriella and Mathew and her great-grandchildren Leo and Emmeline. She was preceded in death by her husband Mario and her son James.

She was tragically burdened in her final years. In 2018 she was devastated by the loss of her youngest son James to cancer and grappled with her own affliction of dementia, a harsh fate for anyone and particularly cruel for someone with a brilliant mind like hers.

But even in the face of these challenges, she was never one to indulge in self-pity. Until her final lucid moments she was a person defined by elegance, a keen perceptiveness and an unyielding concern for those she loved.

Beloved wife of the late Mario Tucciarone. Beloved mother of John M. Tucciarone , Louis A. Tucciarone and the late James M. Tucciarone. Fond mother in law of Helen Landers and Deborah Tucciarone. Loving grandmother of Alexander J. Tucciarone (Claire Morgenstern), David (Katherine) Tucciarone, Laura A. Tucciarone, Gabriella Tucciarone and Mathew Tucciarone. Adored great grandmother of Leo and Emmeline. Dear sister of Rae (Anthony) Basto. Fanny is survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. A special thank you to mom's and dad's personal care givers Kim Bishundayal and Anna Willoughby.

As we are challenged with the Covid Pandemic, please know that there will be a Celebration of Life for Fanny later in the year 2022. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated for Fanny on Friday, December 31, 2021 at 10:15am at Sacred Heart RC Church, 215-35 38th Avenue, Bayside, NY 11361. At the request of the Tucciarone family please wear masks and social distance if you will be attending the funeral mass. The burial will be private.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.quinn-fogartyfuneralhome.com for the TUCCIARONE family.