Filippa Lilly Maganza

Filippa Lilly Maganza (March 1, 1916 - November 10, 2015); Born in Francavilla, Sicily, Italy , she was the daughter of her deceased parents, Barbaro and Santa Mamazza and sister to the deceased Violetta, Yolanda and brother, Arturo, who died in her arms as a child. Filippa lived her younger years in New York City, but traveled back to Italy with her family periodically. In 1939, Filippa was given passage to America by her father, as he tried to get his family out of Italy during the war in Europe. It was one of the most heart-breaking times of her young life as she left her father, who was later killed fighting in the Italian cavalry in Tripoli, and her mother and sisters in war-torn Italy. She came to Brooklyn, NY to live with cousins and began to work in Manhattan. Filippa wrote diligently to the State Department in Washington, DC to try to get money to her family in enemy occupied Italy until they were finally reunited years later. It was in Brooklyn that she met and married her husband, Joseph, after he served his country in the Army Air Corp. in World War II. They subsequently raised their four children in their home on East 26th Street in Brooklyn, where Filippa enjoyed cooking and baking and kept an immaculate house. There was always food to eat and if there wasn't she cooked it on the spot! She absolutely loved feeding her children's friends and they never said NO to Mrs. Maganza's food! Filippa's biggest joy was her family and making them happy, which she did on a daily basis. Joe and' ''Lil'', as he called her, became grandparents, which brought much happiness to their life together. Joe passed suddenly in 1980, another great sadness in her life, but the love and devotion to her family kept her going for 35 more years. Filippa moved to Staten Island in 1995, and lived both near and with her daughter, Maria, and her family for some time. Her last years were spent in Silver Lake Specialized Care, where they treated her with respect, kindness and dignity until her last day. Each staff member would greet her every day with a smile and an Italian phrase that she had taught them. Filippa often told her children that she didn't know why the staff seemed to like her so much, but the answer was easy. She greatly admired her father, who had taught his children to treat everyone, no matter what age or stature in life, with kindness and respect and she did. Filippa was admired by all who knew her and will certainly be remembered for her kind, gentle, and self-less ways. She will live on in the hearts of her children and grandchildren ''not for just an hour, not for just a day, not for just a year but Always''. Filippa is survived by her children and their spouses: Joseph and Deborah Maganza; Leon and Cathie Maganza; Bobby and Karen Maganza and Maria and Peter LoBue; and her grandchildren and their spouses: Michael Maganza; Jill and Steve Ruiz; Vanessa Maganza; Matthew Maganza; Leon Maganza; Claudia and John Kakareka and Alexandra LoBue; in addition to nieces and nephews. Visitation will be held at Scalia Funeral Home 28 Eltingville Blvd, in Eltingville on Saturday and Sunday November 14th, and 15th, from 2-5 PM & 7-9 PM with a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Pleasant Plains on Monday November 16, 2015 at 9:30 am Interment will follow in St. John's Cemetery in Middle Village, Queens. Donations in Filippa's Memory may be made to: The Wounded Warrior Project http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/donate.aspx