Marie DeLuca

Marie DeLuca (nee Gilardi), beloved wife of the late Peter for 73 years, passed away peacefully on Thursday, December 22, 2016 in Bucks County, PA surrounded by her loving family. She was 96. Born to Joseph and Marianne Gilardi in Bristol, PA, Marie was the youngest of five children. She is preceded in death by her parents, sisters Fannie (Palermo), Ida (Cushing), Catherine (Lagana), and brother Nicholas. Marie was a life-long resident of Bristol Borough, where she attended high school and met the first and only love of her life, Peter. They were married in 1943 just before he went off to World War II. Marie was a stay-at-home mom, raising four children, while her husband managed Gilardi’s Men’s Store on Mill Street. Marie always had a love of fashion, and as her children grew older, she decided to open her own retail shop, right next door to her husband’s. The Maria Shoppe, a ladies dress and accessories boutique, was born. After many rewarding years in the clothing business, Marie continued her retail career as a member of Gimbel’s Department Store until her retirement. As a devout Catholic, Marie was a lifetime member of St. Ann Catholic Church in Bristol, and a member of Ladies Auxiliaries: 5th Ward and St. Ann’s. She loved to shop, travel and especially attend her children’s and grandchildren’s recitals, plays, and sporting events. Marie was an amazing mother and a tremendous cook. She was the sweetest, gentlest, most caring mother and grandmother, and there was nothing more important to her than spending time with her family, while serving her delicious homemade Italian specialty dishes and desserts for all to enjoy. Her legacy will forever carry-on as her wonderful recipes will continue to pass down from generation to generation. The memory of Marie, our cherished mother, will be forever in the hearts of all those she touched during her wonderful life. She is survived by her daughters: Patricia Lombardi, Kathleen Halladay (William), Anita Pitonyak (Frank), and her son, Peter F. (Tamara). Nanny will be sadly missed by all of her grandchildren: Jennifer Eshelman (Matthew), Megan Bevan (Andrew), Francis Pitonyak, Daniel Pitonyak (Liana), Peter J. and Isabella; her two great-grand daughters, Julia and Madalyn Eshelman; and her furry friends, Torie and Cozmo. The family wishes to extend heartfelt thanks to the caretakers and nursing staff of Arden Courts, Yardley, for their dedicated care and compassion. A celebration of Marie’s life will be held on Friday, December 30 at St. Ann Church, 357 Dorrance Street, Bristol, PA. Friends and family may call beginning at 8AM. Mass will be celebrated at 9AM followed by a burial at Washington Crossing National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Alzheimer's Association (website: alz.org/donate) in her honor would be sincerely appreciated. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Marie DeLuca, please visit our flower store.