Carmela Garofalo Lombardo passed away peacefully, surrounded by love and family on Friday, May 24th, 2019. She is survived by her three living children, Giuseppe, Anna, and Marco, her beloved grandson, Benjamin, her husband, Mario, and her four living siblings, Fidel, Giulio, Beatrice, and Pinella. Carmela is reunited with her son, Vincenzo, who passed away in 1997, her brother Jose Vicente, and her parents Vincenzo Garofalo and Carmen Ramona Laya.
Known as Carmen, or Carmencita to many who were close to her, she had an easy smile that radiated love and kindness. Through many happy years and also during difficult times, Carmen was the light that guided her family. Her spirit was an inspiration to those who were close to her. Despite the many challenges that she faced, Carmen always embraced all the love, laughter, and joy that life could bring. Her courage is an example that her children live by, and they feel blessed to have such an amazing person as a mother. She saw the best in others and her generosity led her to many acts of kindness toward friends and strangers alike. She is loved deeply, and all of her friends and family grieve at losing her. She will be missed by us all, but she will also be remembered with great love, and fond memories.
Carmen was born in Caracas, Venezuela and spent her youth between Venezuela and the south of Italy. She enjoyed a bucolic childhood in Licusati, Italy, a small village near the Mediterranean Sea and attended a school for girls in Florence, Italy. She had many happy and beautiful memories from these years that she carried with her throughout her life. Her hometown of Licusati held a special place in her heart and she made sure to return as frequently as possible for extended stays to her childhood home. She and Mario met in high school and married in 1973 while they were both students at University of Napoli Federico II in Naples, Italy. They started their family in Salerno, Italy and lived in Rome for several years before immigrating to the United States. After many years lovingly dedicated to raising her children at home, she completed a bachelor’s degree from the University of Delaware in Spanish Education and later completed a Masters of Education degree at Wilmington College. She went on to work as the ELL Testing Specialist for Red Clay Consolidated School District for many years, where she enjoyed lasting friendships with her colleagues and welcoming students who arrived to her district from around the world.
Carmen had a zest for life that anyone around her could sense. Even until the end of her days, her smile embodied the joy and excitement about life that is usually only found in young children. She had a keen sense of humor, loved to play Chopin on the piano, had an impressive green thumb, was an avid reader, and had a talent for capturing her love for life in the food that she made – something that anyone who shared a table with her could appreciate. As a mother, Carmen gave her all to her children. They will forever be grateful for all that she has given them. Her intelligence, kindness, curiosity, compassion, and beauty will live on in the hearts of her children and all those who loved her.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her name to UNICEF at https://www.unicefusa.org/help/donate.
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