Obituary of Mariolina Persico

Obituary of Mariolina D. Persico Mariolina D. Persico, formerly of Williston Park, NY, entered her eternal rest on November 9, 2024 after a brief illness. She was 85. She is survived by three daughters: Carmela Cenci of Huntington, NY, Rosemary Melendez of Greenwich, CT, Joanne Persico of Coral Springs, FL, and six grandchildren.

Mrs. Persico was born on New Year’s Day, 1939 in Salle, Italy to Domenico and Rosina DiFulvio. She was the eldest of eight children. As a young adult, she met and married Attilio Luigi Persico from the nearby village of San Tomasso, Italy, and the couple emigrated to the United States, settling first in Greenpoint Brooklyn, NY, and later moving to Williston Park, on Long Island.

She worked for more than a decade in the housekeeping department of Winthrop University Hospital. After she retired from Winthrop, Mrs. Persico worked part-time at Herrill Lanes Bowling Alley, baby-sitting for children while their parents were bowling. She loved being around people, and she especially loved children. She was blessed with six grandchildren: Lorenzo Cenci, Daniela Cenci, Marcel Melendez, Alexa Melendez, Caterina Fulton, and Leonardo Fulton. Mariolina loved her family, both here and in Italy. She frequently traveled throughout the United States with her children, grandchildren, and returned to Italy many times with her family to attend the Feast of Beato Roberto in Salle, Italy. She was an avid gardener and spent much of her time tending to the many flowers and vegetables in her garden. An annual ritual was making home-made tomato sauce, which typically resulted in more than 100 jars of tomato sauce for her basement storage. She was incredibly resourceful, shrewd, and generous both with her money and her time. She believed in hard work and lived by a belief in putting family above all else. Whenever she would visit her children or friends, Mariolina would find
something to do to help them, whether it was cleaning, laundry, organizing. She never stopped moving.

After her husband Luigi died in 1978, Mrs. Persico maintained a more than 20-year loving relationship with Gabriele Testani, who was a widower. When he passed away, she had a loving relationship with Vincenzo Burno, who also celebrated his birthday in January, and who passed away in 2019. On November 9 th, 2024, the sun set on a long life that was well- lived. She joined the Lord to be with husband Luigi and her parents Domenico and Rosina DiFulvio, brothers, Roberto, Mario and sisters Artelia Carerra and Adrianna Penza. She is survived by her brother Vittorio DiFulvio and wife Rita, her sister Elena and Cesare Bergonzini, and her sister Carmela and Joe Carvalho. Mariolina is also survived by Mario and Mary Testani, Robert and Betsy Testani, and Alice Burno. She always valued and treated like her own children. Mariolina will be greatly missed by all who were fortunate to know her – may she rest in eternal peace. Riposa in peace.

Visitation will be Friday, November 15, 3-8 pm at Weigand Bros Funeral Home 49 Hillside Ave., Williston Park, NY. Funeral Mass will be Saturday, November 16, at St. Aidan RC Church 9:45am. Internment to follow at the Cemetery of Holy Rood in Westbury, NY.