Helen Villani

Youngstown - There will be a Mass of Christian Burial held on Friday, February 8, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Angela Merici Parish, Sacred Heart Church, 400 Lincoln Park Dr., Youngstown, with Father Kevin Peters officiating, for Helen Villani, 96, of Youngstown, who passed away in her sleep on Friday, February 1, 2013 at the Vista Care Center, Boardman.


Helen was born May 25, 1916, the seventh child of Emedio (Edward) Villani and Allesandrena (Alice) Moauro Villani, emigrants from Agnone, Italy. She was born in Smokey Hollow part of Youngstown, and moved when she was twelve years old with her family to a house her father, a mason, built in 1928 on Coronada Ave., on the Northside of Youngstown, where she lived until 2008.


Helen graduated from The Rayen School in 1934. She worked as a young adult at Lustigs Shoe Store in downtown Youngstown. In 1937 she joined United Printing, where she worked for three years. Helen moved to Panelmatic Incorporated in 1940, where she worked until her retirement in 1977.


Helen loved to work outside in the spring and summer with her flowers and ornamental bushes. She raised roses and added new hybrids to her garden yearly. Beginning with Mr. C in the 1960's, she always had a cat. On Sunday afternoons, she would walk her nephews down Goleta Ave., to Crandall Park to feed the swans. For many years, Helen rode the bus to work, but in 1962 she learned to drive and bought a yellow Ford Mustang.


Helen baked a cake every Sunday; most appreciated was her pineapple upside-down cake. Every fall she would journey to New York City to attend a Broadway play. In 1986, she traveled to Italy to tour her parent's homeland. Helen was quiet, cultured, well-read and sometimes went up into the attic to read in solitude by the light of the attic window. She followed current events, worked crossword puzzles, played 500 Bid, and enjoyed bourbon and ice cream.


She will be sadly missed by her nephews Edward of Poland, James of Boardman, Raymond of Boardman, Richard of Twinsburg, Robert of Lake George, Colorado, Thomas of Miamisburg, Ohio and Gerald of North Royalton, Ohio.


Helen was preceded in death by her brothers, Dr. James, physician, Alphonse, Ralph, Frank and Joseph, builders, and her sister Mary, homemaker.


Per Helen's request there will be no calling hours.


Burial will take place at Calvary Cemetery, Youngstown.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the professional care of the Rossi & Santucci Funeral Home, 4700 Market St., Boardman.


Family and friends may visit www.rossiantuccifh.com to view this obituary, sign the guest book, or send condolences to the Villani family.


Rossi & Santucci Funeral Home


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