Margie Cunzalo DiPuma

Margie Cunzalo DiPuma, age 81, passed away peacefully on Monday, the 22nd of March 2021, in Pearland, Texas. She was born the 5th of May 1940, in Houston, Texas to Lee and Lillie Cunzalo (both deceased). She married her friend and love, Vincent Frank DiPuma, on the 26th of November 1961. She was mother to Paul DiPuma (Susan), Stephen DiPuma (Krista), David DiPuma (Katy), and Nonna to Jason DiPuma (son of Paul and Susan), David Paul and Kamille (step-children of Stephen and children of Krista), and Vincenzo, Ronan and Fiona (children of David and Katy). Her sisters are Connie Cunzalo Nagle (John, deceased) and Virginia Lee Deforke (deceased, wife of Joe DeForke). She had four nieces and four nephews along with their spouses, many great nieces and nephews, and countless other kids she considered family that she loved to hug and kiss. Margie shared a special bond with her first and second cousins in the Houston area. She was a graduate of Marian High School.

Margie was 100% Italian in every way. She was very proud of her Italian heritage and was a long-time member of the Italian Cultural & Community Center and other Italian events for many years. She spent countless hours organizing and managing the Houston Italian Festival event as well as co-founding the Daughters of Italian Heritage, a social and volunteer club within the Houston Italian Federation. Margie had the wonderful opportunity to travel to Italy, see the beauty of her ancestor’s homeland, and attend eucharistic services at the Vatican under Pope John Paul II.

Margie loved to help people. Whether it was coordinating fundraiser and program publications for her kid’s baseball little league, organizing a baby or wedding shower for friends and family, or just crocheting baby blankets as gifts, her hands were rarely still.

Margie may have been small in stature, but her presence in a room had no bounds. Her energy radiated and warmed the people around her. She was in simplest terms “the life of any party,” always with a smile on her face.

Margie worked as an Executive Assistant to Houston Real-estate and Developer mogul Wayne Duddlesten for over 50 years. She had the pleasure to meet with many Houston officials and Mayors during her employment. In fact, Mayor Bill White presented Margie at her retirement party with a Proclamation Certificate, for her assistance in the development of Houston, stating August 23, 2009 will be forever known as Margie DiPuma Day in the City of Houston.

Houston may have been her home, but Margie loved to go on family vacations, from Hawaii, to Mexico, to Aruba, Grand Caymans and the Bahamas, these trips meant bringing her family together. Familia was important to Margie and with her last breath, she brought us all together once more.

Friends are invited to a visitation with the family from five o’clock until seven o’clock in the evening on Monday, the 29th of March, in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston. The recitation of the Holy Rosary will commence at half-past six o’clock.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be held at ten o’clock in the morning on Tuesday, the 30th of March, at St. Anne Catholic Church, 2140 Westheimer Road in Houston, where Rev. Eduardo Rivera is to serve as celebrant.

The family will gather at a later time for a private interment at Forest Park Westheimer Cemetery in Houston.

In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions may be directed toward the Italian Cultural & Community Center, 1101 Milford St., Houston, TX 77006.