Obituary of Carmela J. Buonanno

Our dear mother, Carmela J. Buonanno passed away Dec. 30, 2022, on the Feast of the Holy Family. She was born on July 25, 1923 in the Bronx to her wonderful Italian American mother Emilia, that she adored, and her Italian immigrant father Fred Carpentieri, who was a self-employed produce merchant. She had 4 sisters and 4 brothers and is survived by her beloved brother Pat and sister Dolores. She is also survived by her loving son Msgr. Vito A. Buonanno and daughter Ursula Nupp and her son-in-law Christopher that she saw as a son and many loving nieces and nephews. She lived a long beautiful full life. She worked as a seamstress in the NYC garment district during WWII & then became a head seamstress floor manager for many years. She later worked as a department manager in Alexanders and then in the Green Acres mall in Valley Stream. She was smart, hard-working, creative, healthy, fierce at times, and yet so very gentle. She was deeply spiritual, anchored in her Catholic faith. Always welcoming others into our home growing up in Rosedale & later in my parent's senior-living condo complex in Copiague, where they were blessed to happily live together for over 30 years. They were active with their friends & family. My mom loved preparing many good meals & deserts for us. She was a great baker who loved to do it often with her greatest ingredient of pure love. She was blessed to be happily married to my loving dad Vito J. Buonanno for 74 years and who was her childhood friend, as their families knew each other growing up in the Bronx. They showed us a perfect example of genuine LOVE. She was beautiful as his bride, as our mother and through her 99 years of life, as she grew more beautiful with age. She truly stayed young at heart! Our mom had a deep inner beauty that manifested in quiet ways: in her sparkling eyes, the warmth of her smile, the soft tone of her voice, and the kindness in her expressions. We were incredibly blessed to have such a caring and loving mother, right down to her last few days, celebrating Christmas together and spending one last day as herself with my brother Msgr. Vito in her condo home. We then spent vigil with her at the hospital, my brother, myself and Christopher for her last couple of days of life. We were able to express our love as we held her hand, stroked her hair and kissed her forehead and told her how much we loved her and thanked her for everything! Her special beauty was hard won and born of sacrifice, perseverance and a deep sense of responsibility and devotion to her husband and children. I loved the way she would say, "we are the big 5 & that's all I need" then her big 4 after my dad died. It was an honor and a privilege to have her as our mother. I played my parents wedding song, Begin the Beguine and the Ave Maria that she loved. I kissed her goodbye with eyes full of tears and promised her that I would be OK, and that we would be OK and would take care of each other, and we had her strength to carry on her and dad's loving ways and wishes! I thanked her from the bottom of my heart for filling my life with the greatest riches a daughter could ever receive from a mother. Her unconditional love the same as my dad. My parents will remain my sanctuary forever, where they can continue to whisper their wisdom and gentle love! In Lieu of Flowers, please donate to: The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception 400 Michigan Ave., NE Washinton, DC 20017 https://www.nationalshrine.org/donate/