Obituary: Mary DiMella, 94, of Durham

Mary DiMella

(September 6, 1921 - September 24, 2015)

Mary Luisa (Gulielmetti) DiMella, 94, of Durham, wife of sixty years of the late Douglas DiMella, died September 24, 2015 at Middlesex Hospital with family at her side.

She was born on the family farm on Mica Hill Road in Durham, daughter of Francesco and Angela (Agogliati) Gulielmetti.

Mary graduated from Durham High School with the class of 1938. She worked with her friend of 85 years, Ronnie, as a secretary at Durham Manufacturing and later was Durham’s Assistant Town Clerk for more than 30 years, retiring when she was well into her 70s.

She was an active member of the town she loved, contributing to and serving many groups, including the Durham Senior Advisory Board, Durham Cemetery Association, Durham Fair Association and Connecticut Grange. She loved family gatherings and traveling and had many fond memories of Senior trips with friends from Durham.

Mary is survived by her sons, Peter DiMella and his wife Donna of Silverdale, Pa, David DiMella and his wife Susan of Haddam, James DiMella and his wife Catherine of Old Lyme, grandchildren Elizabeth, Nina, Alyssa, James and Julia, and two great-granddaughters as well as several nieces and nephews. Besides her husband, she was predeceased by her sisters, Teresa Bidwell and Jane Stevens and brothers, Philip and George Gulielmetti.

The family would like to offer special thanks to the dear friends whose help, thoughtfulness and care allowed Mary to stay in the home that she and Doug built and that meant so much to her.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, Oct. 1, at 11 a.m. at The Church of the Epiphany, 196 Main St., Durham.

Burial will follow at Mica Hill Cemetery.

Friends may call on Wednesday, Sept. 30, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Biega Funeral Home, 3 Silver St., Middletown.

Those who wish may make memorial contributions to The Durham Volunteer Fire Department, PO Box 154, Durham, CT 06422 or the Durham Ambulance Association, P.O. Box 207, Durham, CT 06422.

Visit the Biega Funeral Home website to read the obituary and leave a condolence.