Obituary of Louise D. Mazzola

Louise DiGiacomo Mazzola, 90, of Rome, NY, formerly of Gloversville, NY, passed away on Friday, March 8, 2019, at Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, where she had been a patient for 10 days. Louise was born November 13, 1928 in Gloversville, NY, the fifth daughter of John (Alex) DiGiacomo and Emily Smimmo DiGiacomo. She grew up with her eight brothers and sisters and graduated from Gloversville High School in 1946. She met her husband, Frank D. Mazzola, on a blind date arranged by their door-to-door olive oil salesman and soon-to-be-brother-in-law, and they married May 12, 1956. Mr. Mazzola passed away in 1973 and Louise chose to stay single the remainder of her life saying "She didn't need or want a man telling her what to do!" Louise grew to be an icon of the Haselton Park neighborhood in Rome where she raised her two children and lived for nearly 60 years. Louise attended Mohawk Valley Community College and Utica College and worked as special education class aide in Rome City School District until her retirement. Insisting on her independence, she worked out at a gym until recently and embraced social media where she could keep track of her 5 grandchildren (to whom she was Nani) and great-granddaughter (who called her Super Nani). Louise was proud and grateful she lived in her home and drove herself until just days before her death. She loved her coffee and lunch dates with friends, knitting sweaters for family, and baking biscotti and spinach bread. She was a woman of strong spirit and faith, she faced adversity more than once in her life, but persevered and moved forward. She is survived by her children Lisa Mazzola Cania and husband Salvatore Cania, Jr., Hannawa Falls, NY, and Frank G. Mazzola and his wife Laura Hanson, Keene, NH, her grandchildren; Sal Cania III, his wife Courtney and their daughter Penelope, Emily Cania and her fiancé Ben Holt, Laura Mazzola, Rachel Mazzola and her fiancé Jesus Arcila and Olivia Mazzola. Her brothers; Louis, Dominick, Frank and Joseph DiGiacomo, her sister Marie Grundmeier and their spouses, her sisters- in- law Ann Goodhart and Rose Caracciola and her more than 40 nieces and nephews, remember her with love. She was predeceased by her husband Frank, her parents, and her sisters; Rose Spencer, Gertrude Catucci, and Emily Spencer. Lisa, Sal, Frank and Laura extend abiding thanks to the many friends and neighbors who loved Louise and helped her every day. Funeral Services will be held on Sunday, March 10, 2019 at 4:00 p.m. at the Nicholas J. Bush Funeral Home, Inc., 7751 Merrick Rd., Rome, NY. Friends may call at the funeral home on Sunday from 2-4 p.m. Spring burial will be in St. Peter's Cemetery. Louise's family welcomes donations in her memory to the Frank and Louise Mazzola Scholarship Endowment at Wells College, c/o Office of Development, in Aurora, NY, 13026. To offer online condolences, please visit www.njbushfuneralhome.com