Virginia ''Ginger'' Vallone

Virginia "Ginger" Vallone, a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother whose selfless love of family knew no bounds, died Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2020, in Staten Island University Hospital, Prince’s Bay. She was 100. Born Virginia Falletta in Palermo, the southern town of Sicily where her family was vacationing, Virginia was raised in the Park Slope community of Brooklyn. She was a seamstress by trade and during her younger years she was a staffer in a firm located in the Empire State Building that created top quality ladies leather purses, handbags and wallets, the samples of which were showcased in a number of prominent department stores. Virginia met her husband, Mariano "Murray" Vallone, when she was invited to a neighborhood dance by one of her friends. Coincidentally, Murray, who also was coaxed into attending, sat in a seat right next to Virginia. And as the evening passed Murray mustered up the courage to ask her to dance and then out on a date. And each week he would travel by trolley car from downtown Brooklyn to see his favorite girl. The couple said their “I do’s” on April 5, 1942, in Brooklyn’s Holy Name of Jesus R.C. Church, and in the year 2002 celebrated 60 years of marriage with a party at Li Greci’s Staaten, where some 100 revelers made merry to mark the momentous occasion. During the early years their marriage, Virginia worked in her husband’s mom and pop grocery store until the couple retired in 1976 and crossed the Verrazano-Narrows to settle in Dongan Hills. Sadly, Murray passed in 2004 and in 2010 Virginia relocated to Annadale. In speaking of her mom, Virginia’s daughter Christine Vallone noted: “I lost my best friend, my mom, a person who had a heart of gold and always put everyone’s needs and happiness before her own. A one-of a-kind beautiful person, I was truly blessed to have called her my mom. I will miss her so very much. Thank you for everything.” And Virginia’s son, Peter Vallone stated: “She was the greatest mom ever.” And Virginia’s daughter-in law Patty said: “I was blessed to be a part of the family. And Virginia ‘my mom,’ became the mom I never had.” Virginia’s granddaughter, Danielle Buckley explained: “My grandmother was a woman like no other. She was loved by everyone. Blessed is an understatement. We had 100 years. A true warrior and a legend. I will miss every phone call.” And granddaughter Christine Vasquenz, who took a leave of absence from her job last summer to help her mom care for her grandmother, stated: “You were my best friend, my rock and ‘I’ve got you grandma.’” Virginia is survived by her son, Peter Vallone and his wife, Patricia; her daughter, Christine Vallone; grandchildren, Joseph Vallone, Debra Vallone, Danielle Buckley, Christine Vasquenz; and great grandchildren, Jessica Noel Vasquenz, Jeremy Mariano Vasquenz, Samantha Rose Buckley, Patrick Dennis Buckley and Stephanie Marie Buckley. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10:00 AM on Tuesday at Holy Child Church located at 4747 Amboy Road Staten Island, New York 10312. Interment will follow in Moravian Cemetery, Staten Island, NY. The family will receive friends from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM on Monday, February 17, 2020, at John Vincent Scalia Home for Funerals, Inc., 28 Eltingville Blvd, Staten Island, New York.

Virginia ''Ginger'' Vallone

October 25, 1919 - February 12, 2020