Rita (Tornatore) D’Andrea, 88, peacefully passed away on March 31, 2014. Services will be held on Monday, April 7, 2014 at Good Shepherd Church, 13550 Chaney Thompson Rd SE, Huntsville, AL 35803, with visitation at 10 am and Mass at 11, followed by columbarium installation. (www.laughlinservice.com)
Rita was born on June 8, 1925 to Gregorio and Antonina (Perna) Tornatore in Philadelphia, PA, where she lived until relocating to Huntsville in 2012. She was an accomplished operatic contralto, artist and stylist. She delighted in all of her family relationships, most especially with her grandchildren, readily made friends and “adopted” her caregivers and the friends of her children and grandchildren. She was a devout Catholic and found comfort, purpose and guidance in her faith. She is preceded in death recently by her husband, Eugene J. D’Andrea and grandson, Eugene “Buster” D’Andrea.
She is survived by her brother, Vincent Tornatore; her children, Ritalinda (daughter) and Joe Lee, Eugene G. (son) and Michelle D’Andrea, Marc (son) and Jeanne D’Andrea and Donamari (daughter) D’Andrea and Jonathan Gross; her grandchildren, Rebecca D’Andrea (granddaughter), Katelynd (granddaughter) and Justin Day, Sarah (granddaughter) and Lawrence Melilli, Lindsay (granddaughter) D’Andrea, Douglas Gross (grandson) and Kyen Gross (grandson); her nieces and nephew; Jo Lynn Sciarro and Raymond (nephew) and Lorraine Ingrassia and numerous great nieces and nephews.
The family offers sincerest thanks for the compassionate and competent care provided to Rita by her physicians, Drs Jeremy Hon, Ruth Yates, Dino Ferrante, her clinicians and caregivers from Hospice Family Care and FirstLight Home Care.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Hospice Family Care 3304 Westmill Dr SW, Huntsville, AL 35805.
