Stella A. (Spiwak) DeGaetano

STELLA A. (SPIWAK) DeGAETANO

HORNELL-Stella A. (Spiwak) DeGaetano, 79, passed away Saturday morning (Aug. 14, 2010) at her home at 206 Greeley Ave.
Born in Hornell on June 10, 1931, she was a daughter of the late John and Anna Spiwak. On May 30, 1953, she was married at St. Ann’s Church in Hornell to Vincent “Doty” DeGaetano, who survives.
A native and life long resident of Hornell, Stella was a graduate of St. Ann’s School and Hornell High School, class of 1949.
She had been employed by the former Koskie Music Store and the Cameo Shop in Hornell and also baked wedding cakes for about 10 years at her home. Since 1976 she has been in partnership in business with her husband operating DeGaetano Family Shoe Store & Repair on Main Street in Hornell.
Stella was a long time member of Our Lady of the Valley Parish and was a communicant of St. Ann’s Church in Hornell where she served as principal of the CCD Religious Education program for several years. She was also a member of the AZB Sorority.
Her family includes her loving and devoted husband of 57 years, Doty; her daughter, Debra (John) Jaun of Rochester; her son, Michael (Sherry) DeGaetano of Hornell; her five grandchildren, Christopher and Sara Jaun, Zachary, Colby and Nikolas DeGaetano; her sister, Helen (Paul) Spencer of Almond; her brother, Walter Spiwak of St. Augustine, Fla.; also her many nieces and nephews.
Besides her parents, she was predeceased by several siblings, including her brother, John Spiwak of Columbus Ohio.
To honor her wishes there will be no calling hours. Friends are invited to meet her family at St. Ann’s Church where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Wednesday.
In lieu of flowers, those wishing may contribute in her memory to either St. Ann’s School Memorial Fund, 27 Erie Ave., Hornell or to the Hornell High School Alumni Assoc. PO Box 135, Hornell, NY 14843.
Arrangements are with the Bishop & Johnson Funeral Home, Inc., 285 Main St., Hornell.