Obituary for Leona Rufo (Olszowy)
LEONA P. RUFO (nee Olszowy), age 96, passed away peacefully at her home on December 18, 2022, surrounded by her loving family. Devoted wife of 52 years to the late Carman J. Rufo. Loving mother to Deanna Rufo Hayes, Michael Rufo (Shawn), Carleen Rufo Miller (the late Charles), and Ronald Rufo (Sharon). Beloved grandmother to Nicole, Michael, Ryan, Daniel, Gregory, Meghan, Susan, Mark, Scott and Craig. Dear great grandmother to Nicholas, Julia, Candace, Lindsay, Caitlyn, Gregory, Morgan, Makenzie, Michaela, Nicholas, and Jake, Cherished great-great grandmother to Connor, Caleb and Emerson. Beloved sister to the late Helen Olszowy, the late Louis Olszowy (the late Josephine), the late Suzanne Hatz (the late Casimir), the late Joseph Olszowy (the late Isabelle), the late Veronica Badon (the late Bruno), the late Bernice Vavrick (the late Frank), and the late Irene Olszowy.
Our Mom was born on the South side of Chicago and was a loving sister to her family. As a child she was quite the athlete. She competed and won many events, including ice skating, track, and swimming. She attended Holy Family Academy on a scholarship. Upon graduating, she met our Dad. During World War II, while Dad was away in the Navy, she did her part for the war effort by singing in department store windows in downtown Chicago promoting the sale of war bonds. After the war, they married, and she became a wonderful wife and mother. Our family parties would always have our Dad playing the piano and her singing along. Her standard song was “Embraceable You’’ written by George and Ira Gershwin in 1928. When she wasn’t singing, she would be dancing with her dancing partner, Uncle Jimmy, who also loved to “cut a rug”. She loved to cook and welcomed everyone into our home at any time to share a meal. She always wanted to be dressed in the latest fashions and had a was especially fond of shoes and coats. She was very proud of her Polish heritage and traditions and adopted all of the Italian ones from our Dad. Our mother was a loving, hardworking wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and “grand doggie” Mom Mom, who gave of herself to everyone. She taught us lessons to carry ourselves successfully into adulthood. No one will ever take her place and she will be missed and loved by many.
Relatives and friends are invited to her viewing Thursday morning, December 22, 2022, from 8:15am until 10:15am at L. A. DiGiacomo, Inc. Funeral Home, 1055 Southampton Road, Philadelphia, PA 19116, followed by her funeral mass at 11:00am at St. Christopher Church, 13301 Proctor Road, Philadelphia, PA 19116. Interment Resurrection Cemetery, Bensalem, PA. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to St.Jude.org.
Share memories at www.DiGiacomoFuneralHome.com.
Our Mom was born on the South side of Chicago and was a loving sister to her family. As a child she was quite the athlete. She competed and won many events, including ice skating, track, and swimming. She attended Holy Family Academy on a scholarship. Upon graduating, she met our Dad. During World War II, while Dad was away in the Navy, she did her part for the war effort by singing in department store windows in downtown Chicago promoting the sale of war bonds. After the war, they married, and she became a wonderful wife and mother. Our family parties would always have our Dad playing the piano and her singing along. Her standard song was “Embraceable You’’ written by George and Ira Gershwin in 1928. When she wasn’t singing, she would be dancing with her dancing partner, Uncle Jimmy, who also loved to “cut a rug”. She loved to cook and welcomed everyone into our home at any time to share a meal. She always wanted to be dressed in the latest fashions and had a was especially fond of shoes and coats. She was very proud of her Polish heritage and traditions and adopted all of the Italian ones from our Dad. Our mother was a loving, hardworking wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and “grand doggie” Mom Mom, who gave of herself to everyone. She taught us lessons to carry ourselves successfully into adulthood. No one will ever take her place and she will be missed and loved by many.
Relatives and friends are invited to her viewing Thursday morning, December 22, 2022, from 8:15am until 10:15am at L. A. DiGiacomo, Inc. Funeral Home, 1055 Southampton Road, Philadelphia, PA 19116, followed by her funeral mass at 11:00am at St. Christopher Church, 13301 Proctor Road, Philadelphia, PA 19116. Interment Resurrection Cemetery, Bensalem, PA. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to St.Jude.org.
Share memories at www.DiGiacomoFuneralHome.com.