Susan Anne (Earley) Datilio, age 50, of Wilmington, DE, passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, April 21, 2021 surrounded by family after a six-year long battle with breast cancer. She fought bravely and right until the end, never wanting anyone to know how hard she struggled. Susan maintained her beautiful smile for all to see. She never wanted that fight to be about her. Her focus was always on her family and friends.
Susan was born in Wilmington, daughter of James A. and Mary Louise (Cappella) Earley. She graduated from Padua Academy in 1989 and the University of Delaware in 1993 with a degree in history.
She was a loving wife, mother, sister and friend – always smiling and always a kind word. Susan LOVED her family, and more than anything, her two children. There was nothing she enjoyed more than watching them play whatever sport was in season. Her favorites were watching Olivia play softball and Joey run the football for St. Mary Magdalen School. Susan was a sports mom through and through. She loved the Phillies and Eagles, and on many game days, could be heard yelling louder than anyone when things went good or mostly bad.
Susan loved to cook and to travel. She so loved the summer vacations to Ocean City, NJ, and our family trip to Italy in 2018 was her favorite trip of all time. She was a huge Frank Sinatra and Elvis fan and more recently a Harry Styles fan thanks to Olivia.
She worked in the business office at WDEL/WSTW for close to 25 years and had many wonderful friends there.
Susan was an active member of the St. Mary Magdalen community and school and was overwhelmed with love and joy at the support from them as she battled these years with cancer. It was something she spoke of often and just loved the people that became more than friends, but like a second family to all of us through the years there. It was something we cherished and will never forget.
Susan loved her summers at the pool and being able to visit with friends and family for coffee or the “occasional” glass of wine to just talk. She worried too much about everyone else and always made sure “you” were okay before she would talk about her fight, and even when she did, she still made sure you were good. Susan would want us all to remember to cherish your days with family and friends; tomorrow is not promised to any of us, so make the best of the days you have. Never waste an opportunity to tell someone you love them.
In addition to her parents, Susan is survived by her husband of 23 years, Joseph R. Datilio; daughter Olivia; son Joey; sister Melissa (Earley) Pedicone, her husband Jason and their children Caterina and Coletta of Bear; in laws Raymond and Irene Datilio of Newark; sister and brother in law Lisa Loveland (Duane) of Elsmere; host of aunts, uncles, and NUMEROUS cousins, etc.
The family would like to extend a huge loving thank you to all the doctors and nurses at Penn who were so caring and helped in her fight, and at the end, the nurses and staff with Delaware Hospice. She called them angels on earth, especially Melissa and Tracie. Their compassion and care is not something that will ever be forgotten.
Susan hated this wretched disease and would want all of our focus on beating it for good so no one would have to go through what she did so bravely. In lieu of flowers (which Susan always said she would just kill anyway) please send contributions to Penn Medicine, Abramson Cancer Center, 3535 Market Street, Suite 750, Philadelphia, PA 19104.
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