Mary Adelaide Campanale

Obituary for: Mary A. Campanale (Gasbarro)
 
Mary Adelaide Campanale passed away October 5, 2020 at the age of 96 at home surrounded by family and stepped into the loving and waiting arms of her mother and father, husband Philip and seven siblings all whom she dearly missed and asked for often.  Though living into her nineties vascular dementia took our mom from us much sooner than before her passing. She was born on March 9, 1924 to Italian immigrant parents Alfredo and Antonietta (Mazzocco) Gasbarro.  She was very proud of her Italian heritage and carried on the wonderful traditions of holidays and special celebrations until she no longer could.  Her inherited gift to cook amazing meals especially Italian dishes and the Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes was one of her specialties our family looked forward to it every Christmas.

Mary graduated from Akron North High School in 1943.  Soon after graduation Mary started work at Firestone Plant One as a key punch operator and through Firestone attended a course at IBM and advanced to a tire specification position in the Auditing and Tabulating department.  She was instrumental in organizing many North High class reunions often with 2 days of activities with the last one being their 60th year reunion in 2003.  She did all bookkeeping for 25 plus years for Phil's State Road Shell service station in Cuyahoga Falls and their rental properties all at a small desk, her "office" in the corner of their room.   Mary was a long time member of St. Anthony's Parish and Castel di Sangro Ladies Auxiliary. 
Mary and Phil had a full and blessed life together for 60 years of marriage before his passing in 2005.  They met at a St. Patrick's Day dance in 1939 at North Hill's Italian Center and were "sweethearts" for 5 years.  They were married at St. Anthony's Catholic Church on Aug. 11, 1945.  After being married Mary joined Phil who was in the Army Air Force stationed in Washington, D.C. at then named Andrews Air Force Base (Joint Base Andrews). They returned to Akron after Phil was discharged in Feb. 1946 where they started their family.  What was to be a two week "vacation" at Phil's suggestion, Mary took to family season camping, much to our surprise, for 18 years at Tamsin Park in Peninsula and Whispering Pines in Atwater.  Even when camping or at a picnic we rarely missed having a Sunday spaghetti dinner.  Mary and Phil spent 24 years wintering in Florida at their Clearwater condo home.  Some of our most wonderful memories are of watching mom and dad dancing at weddings and at one time popular social club dinner-dances.  We think mom was the only dance partner who could keep up with dad on the dance floor. They enjoyed music together at home, at outdoor concert events and festivals year round but most of all any gatherings with family and friends around a dining room table with food, coffee and maybe even a bottle of wine.  Since 2010 Mary resided at senior independent living, assisted living and memory care communities and at home again with family.  Even though mom's memories of family, friends and places had faded in most recent years passed she never stopped swaying and tapping to the sound of music. 

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, husband Philip and infant granddaughter Bianca Brookover. She was the last of eight siblings and preceded in death by brothers Louie (Alice), John and Alfred (Dorothy) Gasbarro, sisters Delia Antonino (Frank), infant brother Frank, twin to Lucy Flasco (Steve) and Gloria Leonard (Dick), cousin Mary Thornburg, sisters in law Antoinette Micale (Frank), Isabel Daguanno (Joe), niece Mary Margaret Leonard, great niece Christine Antonino and great nephew Cliff Gasbarro, nephews Bernard Micale and Frank Spano. She is survived by daughters Dolores Brookover (Fred) of Kissimmee, Florida, Marie Buehler (Michael) of Tallmadge, and Phyllis Craig (Mark-"Willie") of Akron; grandchildren Theresa Hunsucker (Chris) and Philip Brookover, Jennifer Archer (Patrick) and David Buehler (Becky); great-grandchildren Nickolas and Kate Archer, Joey and Tommy Buehler; step-grandchildren Shawn (Tracy), Brian (Jessica) and Jason Craig (Donna) and their five children and many loving nieces and nephews.
 As a daughter, sister, aunt, wife, mother, grandmother, nonni, great-grandmother and "paisan" in many wonderful friendships Mary's journey on this earth has been a long one, experiencing the many seasons that life encounters.  She loved to plan family events and social get-togethers.  In her final years when she was not capable of doing much on her own she would always ask "what should I be doing?"  She was a detail person, making notes of everything she did.  We are thankful for the many life lessons she taught us and for the many things she has done for us, especially the three beautiful Italian weddings.  May she now be at peace and whole again in soul and mind.  We love you and we deeply miss you Mom, until we meet again.
We would like to express our deep appreciation for the brief but loving care Mom received from Crossroads Hospice Care. We are grateful for the many family and friends thoughts and prayers. 

Mass of Christian Burial will be Friday, 11:00 am at St. Anthony Catholic Church, 83 Mosser Place, Akron, Ohio 44310 with , Celebrant Rev Father Rdward Burba.  Visitation will be Friday from 9:30 am - 10:30 am at Hennessy-Bagnoli-Moore Funeral Home (corner of N. Main St. and Mildred Ave.).  Mary's final resting place will be Holy Cross Cemetery.  
Due to Covid-19, we respectively request that those attending visitation and Mass of Christian Burial will practice social distancing and wear face masks.  If you are unable to attend or do not wish to attend, we understand and all love and prayers will be appreciated.