Teresa A. Gioia of Doylestown, died on November 29, 2020. She was 90 years old and the wife of the late Frank R. Gioia who passed in 1983
Born in Luzzi, Italy, she was the daughter of the late Nicola and Concetta Smurra Altomare.
She married her husband, Frank R. Gioia in August 1956. He left her in Italy with her family and came to the United States to start his tailoring business, sending for her in 1957. Teresa came to this country on a ship, The Christopher Columbus, sailing for eight days arriving at Ellis Island with nothing but a chest of belongings and a dream to live in America. She learned English by watching soap operas.
Teresa loved gardening, flowers, mowing her lawn, raking leaves, crocheting, jarring tomatoes, cooking for family and friends and she loved her fig tree. Her greatest joy was her family in the United States and her beloved family in Italy. She was able to go back to visit her hometown six times. Her last visit was to see her granddaughter get married in her hometown in 2017.
She is survived by her daughter, Teresa Lembo, her husband, Gregory; a granddaughter, Jessica Lembo, her husband, Michael Leary and a grandson, Benjamin Lembo
She is preceded in death by her brother, Antonio Altomare and her sister, Vittoria Altomare from Italy.
Relatives and friends are invited to her funeral Mass at 11 a.m., Friday, December 4, 2020 at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, 235 East State Street, Doylestown, where the family will greet guests from 10 a.m., until the time of Mass. Interment will follow in Doylestown Cemetery.
Masks and socially distance seating will be required to ensure safety.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Teresa’s name may be made to: Dementia Society of America, P.O. Box 600, Doylestown, PA 18901 (www.dementiasociety.org/donate).