Obituary of Maria Grace Gallo

Maria Grace Cascone Gallo, age 98, of Bridgeport, beloved wife of the late Salvatore Gallo, passed away of natural causes on Wednesday, February 3, 2016 in St. Joseph's Center surrounded by her family. Born in Bridgeport on June 18, 1917, was a daughter of the late Joseph and Agnes Occupinti Cascone. Grace, as she was known, started her working career at Seaside Blouse Company with her sister Mary where she became terrific at sewing. When she received her first Singer sewing machine, Grace used her talents sewing her daughter's dance costumes, sequin by sequin, ruffle by ruffle. Grace later became head chaperone for the Miss USA World Beauty Pageant, where she loved her job. Her favorite Miss USA winners were Dian Parkinson (Price is Right), Lynda Carter (Wonder Woman) and Michele Metrinko (congressional candidate). As an assistant director, she travelled throughout the USA and Europe in the company of Prince Philip, President Lyndon Johnson, Dean Martin, Bob Hope and others. Grace's favorite role in life was being with her family. Her Sunday ravioli dinners, pizza fritte, and her special Sicilian stuffed bread, will never be forgotten as her children and grandchildren have Nana's recipes. In the last 18 years, Grace loved living at the Bishop Curtis Home, where she developed many friendships and her nightly card games were a joy to her and as well as her Jai Alai and casino trips with family. Grace was a true loyal friend, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and her family was blessed to have had her for 98 years. She will be sorely missed. She was pre-deceased by a daughter, Carol Ann Franco, a great grandson, Michael Ventresca, three brothers, George, John and Carmen Cascone and two sisters, Mary Assenza and Josephine Leonetti. Survivors include two children, Concetta Gallo Emond and her husband Donald of Trumbull and Thomas Gallo and his wife Ann of Lake Worth, FL, seven grandchildren, Charisse Ventresca and her husband Robert, Scott Emond, Audra Santos and her husband Rui, Edward A. Gallo, Jeffrey T. Gallo, Thomas Franco and Marissa Coughlin and her husband Gerard, seven great grandchildren, Madison, Aidan and McKenna Ventresca, Brianna, Kayla and Jenna Santos and Thomas Coughlin and special nieces and nephew, Georgina Camillo, Steve Leonetti and Marcia Leonetti. In addition to her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, Grace is also survived by four generations of nieces and nephews, the eldest being 91 and the youngest a newborn. A celebration of her years will take place on Monday, February 8, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. in the Abriola Parkview Funeral Home, 419 White Plains Road, Trumbull, and at 11:00 a.m. in St. Raphael Church, Frank St., Bridgeport for a Mass of Christian Burial. Interment will follow in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Trumbull. Relatives and friends may greet the family on Sunday from 1-5 p.m.