Concetta E. Delisa

Concetta E. "Connie" (Fazzone) DeLisa, 99, died on February 12, 2025. Born in Colonie, NY on June 4, 1925, she was the eldest child of the late Anthony "Tony" and Emmanula "Emma" (Greco) Fazzone, who had emigrated from southern Italy several years before her birth. The family settled in a small farmhouse her father built with his own hands, where they soon welcomed a son and two more daughters. During the depths of the Great Depression, they were forced to relocate from the idyllic countryside to the city of Schenectady, NY, where her father found work at the American Locomotive Company.


A 1942 graduate of Mont Pleasant High School, Connie went on to serve in the finance office at the local Army Depot during World War II where she became head of the bond department. In her position, she frequently traveled by steamboat up and down the Hudson River selling war bonds and enjoying the bustling wartime atmosphere of New York City. During this time, her future husband, Lawrence "Larry" DeLisa, served as an Army medic stationed in Europe through all the major battles over three and a half years of heroic service. When the war ended and he returned to Schenectady, Larry looked up Connie, as the Fazzone and DeLisa families knew each other well. Connie and Larry were married in 1946 and moved to Bath in 1947 with their baby daughter, Lauren. Larry had been offered a job working in the laboratory at the Bath VA Hospital. Three years later, a second daughter, Jeanie, was born. While raising her own children, Connie also took care of many other young children in her home, including Annie Gialanella, who to this day has always remained a dear friend and part of our family's life. In 1960, Connie's career in finance resumed when she joined the Steuben County Treasurer's Office, where she was in charge of processing payroll for the entire county until retiring in 1986. In 1961, the family welcomed their third daughter, Bev, completing the trio of girls.


When Larry succumbed to lung cancer in 1974, Connie was now a single mom with Bev aged only 12. Still, she was able to make time for community involvement, including the First Presbyterian Church of Bath where she taught Sunday School for preschool aged children. Our family began attending the church when first arriving in Bath and has maintained a deep sense of connection ever since. Connie continued to drive herself to Sunday service up to the age of 98. She remained committed to helping anyone in the community whenever there was a time of need and gave of herself in every way she could.


In 1977, Connie's greatest passion for community involvement began when she joined the Voluntary Service at the Bath VA. Helping to support our veterans gave her a tremendous sense of purpose, especially once she was on her own following the loss of her husband and all her girls having left home. Over the next 47 consecutive years, Connie's love for the VA's mission drove her to amass 17,974 hours of volunteer service. During that time, she received numerous awards marking major milestones in her long tenure, including VA Volunteer of the Year in 2018. The very dear friends Connie made in the Voluntary Service Department have been a blessing and a treasure, especially in her later years. Bestowed upon her in 2013 at the age of 87, the Jefferson Award is a national recognition of the country's most outstanding volunteers who have brightened many lives through their gift of service to others. Seeing her receive this exceptional honor at a moving ceremony and luncheon was a very, very special moment for our family. Additionally, Connie devoted time to volunteering with the Steuben County Public Health Department and RSVP until the pandemic began in 2020. She was recognized as Steuben County Senior Citizen of the Year in 2010 and amassed nearly 5,000 hours with RSVP. On March 4th, 2024, Connie received a personal letter of recognition and token from Denis McDonough, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Washington, D.C. This outstanding commendation was in gratitude for her nearly half-century of dedication and devotion to our nation's cherished veterans.


Our fond memories of a treasured mother and grandmother are bountiful. Mom loved to cook, watch cooking shows, and collect an abundance of cookbooks and recipes. She was always busy in her kitchen cooking a homemade pot of sauce, meatballs, and sausage along with so very many other delicious meals. One of Mom's favorite places to go was Tops Market, where she could always be found many times each week. She relished checking out all the best food prices in the local ads and knew where to find each week's most competitive sales - Tops, Save-A-Lot, Dollar General, or other bargain stores. Her penchant for frequenting thrift shops was legendary, where she acquired many of her favorite pieces of clothing. She always had a book to read. While residing with Jeanie for the last fourteen months of her life, going to the library in Horseheads became a much-anticipated biweekly outing. Reading over 200 books during that time, she especially enjoyed stories that focused on the Amish way of life. Her keen interest in Amish culture developed over the years when she traveled to many of their communities and markets.


Most meaningful of all, our Mom and Grandma always gave each of us her love and support. For all the joys and sorrows her three daughters and six grandchildren experienced, she has always faithfully been by our sides. We each have been so richly blessed to have our Mom and Grandma live a long, fulfilling, and independent life. Even as her health declined from December of 2023, this amazing lady squeezed in more than an extra year of life, giving her children and grandchildren an opportunity to give even more back to her. Mere words fail to truly convey how very deeply we shall all miss the most enduring figure of our lives. Her nearly 100 years on Earth can never seem like enough to those who loved her so dearly.


The brightest light in our lives has gone out. You shall always and forever remain in our hearts, Mom and Grandma. We love you so very, very much. Thank you for giving us the precious gift of you.


In addition to her late husband, Connie is predeceased by her sisters Emma O. (Fazzone) Koss and Evelyn M. Fazzone, in 2007 and 2023, respectively; her brother Arthur A. Fazzone in 2023; and her son-in-law Stephen D. Ellis in 2007. She is survived by her daughter Lauren R. DeLisa and son-in-law Peter Pareene of Loudonville, NY and Marco Island, Florida; her daughter Sylvia Jean "Jeanie" (DeLisa) Ellis of Pine Valley, NY; her daughter Beverly A. (DeLisa) Infantino and former son-in-law Paul J. Infantino, Jr. both of Rochester, NY; her grandchildren Andrew G. Ellis of Warren, RI; Daniel S. Ellis of Davie, FL; Jeffrey M. Ellis and his wife Amy E. Ellis of Plantation, FL; Emily L. J. Ellis and her fiancée Garrett C. Wagner of Manchester, NH; Jenna N. Infantino of Webster, NY; Krissy A. (Infantino) Leone and her husband Anthony M. Leone of Webster, NY; her great-grandchildren Camden M. Ellis and Mylah S. Ellis of Plantation, Florida; and her sister-in-law Marion (Covey) Fazzone of Dover, PA (formerly of Schenectady, NY); as well as numerous nieces and nephews.


Family and friends are cordially invited to gather at the First Presbyterian Church in Bath, NY on Friday, March 7, 2025. Visitation will be held in the sanctuary from 11am - 1pm, with a religious service of commemoration directly following. Burial will occur at noon on Monday, March 10, 2025, at Memory Gardens Cemetery & Memorial Park located at 983 Watervliet Shaker Road, Albany, NY 12205. A brief service will be performed at the cemetery's Edgewood Chapel followed by procession to the gravesite for committal.


The family graciously welcomes floral tributes or donations made in Connie's memory to the Bath VA Voluntary Service or Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.