Obituary of Mildred Violandi

Mildred Violandi, of Trumbull, died peacefully in her sleep during the predawn hours of Wednesday, November 14, 2012. Her life began 92 years earlier in Queens, New York. Born on October 5, 1920, Mildred was the seventh child of Carmine and Mary (nee Caliendo) Lombardo. She was by no means the last, as she would ultimately have two younger siblings by the time of her mothers untimely death in 1929. Following the loss of their mother, the eight surviving Lombardo children were swiftly placed in orphanages and foster homes throughout New York City. It was only upon Carmines re-marriage that the children were reunited. However, the demands of raising such a large family forced Mildred to help care for both the household and her siblings. As a result, she was unable to complete her formal education. Those early years were fraught with tragedies and struggles. It was a difficult time for Mildred, but it was also the time in which she developed her resoluteness and tenacity; qualities for she would be known and admired throughout her long life. After her adolescence, she married Frank Andrioli and bore her only child, Linda. Sadly Frank died in 1957, leaving Mildred to raise Linda alone. Once again there was tragedy and struggle, and once again Mildred rose to the occasion, without complaint or even the smallest sign of duress. To support her daughter, she took a job at the Medico Smoking Pipe Factory in North Richmond Hill, New York, where she worked until 1982. By which point, Linda had completed college, earned a masters in education, married, and borne her first child. In retirement Mildred was an active member of her church, as well as her local senior citizen community. Then in the mid-1990s she met and fell in love with Anthony Violandi. After 40 years as a widow, she married in 1997. Thereupon, she and Tony moved to Trumbull, to be closer to Mildreds daughter and now three grandchildren. Her later years, especially those with Tony, were among her happiest. She cherished her life in Trumbull, away from the crowds of the city, although perhaps too far from her beloved Mets. She had many friends about town and was keen to join them for card games. Above all she cared for her family, always a loving mother and grandmother. She will be missed. Her survivors include her daughter, Linda Quinlan and her husband Raymond of Fairfield; her grandchildren, Maryellen Forintos and her husband Frank of Charlotte, North Carolina, Kathleen Quinlan of New York, New York, and Daniel Quinlan of Fairfield. She is also survived by her brother, Joseph Lombardo and his wife Sabrina of Jamesburg, New Jersey, as well as several nieces and nephews. We, Mildreds descendants, would like to thank the staff of The Jewish Home in Fairfield, and Father Michael Flynn of Saint Theresas Church in Trumbull, both of whom provided outstanding care for Mildred during her last year. Funeral Information Funeral services will take place on Friday, November 16, 2012 at 12:00 p.m. in the Abriola Parkview Funeral Home, 419 White Plains Road, Trumbull, and at 1:00 p.m. in St. Theresa Church, Trumbull for a Mass of Christian Burial. Interment will follow in St. John Cemetery, Monroe. Relatives and friends may call on Thursday from 4-8 p.m. at the funeral home. Donations Information In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to either The Jewish Home for the Elderly, 175 Jefferson St., Fairfield, CT 06825 or St. Theresa Church, 5301 Main St., Trumbull, CT 06611.