Gioconda (Ferraro) Pucciarelli

devoted children at her hour of death in the Chautauqua Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Dunkirk, NY. She was born in Casa Rosa, Italy on October 24th, 1929. She was 89 years young. Gioconda was a strong, smart, class act who wasn’t afraid to speak her mind. She was a small town farm girl who left school after the 3rd grade to help support her family by working on farms during the depression. Gioconda would walk for hours, to and from work every day with her sisters. Although those were difficult financial times, she often told fond stories of how she found enjoyment making jokes and dancing with her circle of family and friends.

A survivor of the WWII Era, Gioconda shared stories of how her family, along with the small community of Casa Rosa, hid in the mountains during the Battle of Salerno. At age 14, the attractive farm girl met the eventual love of her life, Fortunato “Fort” Pucciarelli. She would laugh as she told of how she broke up with her then boyfriend and decided to give Fort a shot, despite his short stature. She liked to say “he grew on me.” After a courtship that lasted 14 years, the couple finally married in 1954.

The couple had their first child, Maria, in 1956. Very soon after that, they were given the opportunity to

leave impoverished Italy and move to America. Gioconda could not join her husband in America until he was settled with a job and a home for them to live in. Gioconda stayed behind with her young daughter, while her husband set out for America. It took two years for Gioconda to be reunited with her husband.

In 1958, she and her two-year old child boarded a ship and set out for America to join her husband. Absolutely petrified, leaving behind everything she knew, not speaking a word of English, not knowing anyone except her husband, she and her daughter left Italy and started their journey.

Strong, stead-fast and determined to make the most of her life in America, Gioconda learned to speak

English, helped her husband’s parents (Joseph and Mary Pucciarelli), worked the occasional job, and even

joined a bowling team. She made lots of life-long friends. While she was settling into her American life, Gioconda and her husband had four more children. She was the foundation of what was to become an absolutely magical family experience.

She was a master chef and cooked gourmet Italian meals for her children and grandchildren every day after school. There were also her infamous Sunday dinners after church for her family, which eventually grew to 21 people with the inclusion of her children’s spouses and 12 grandchildren.

Gioconda was a fun-loving, master caretaker who cared for not only her family but ALL of her family friends like they were her own. She will be sadly missed by all who knew her. She was truly the “Star of our Show.”

She was the mother of Maria (late David) Jakubiec, Joseph (Donna) Pucciarelli, Anthony (Kathryn) Pucciarelli, Henry Pucciarelli & Rosalia (Robert) Calph, was grandmother to Michael (Ashley Bishop), Bettina & Timothy Jakubiec, Angela (Kyle) Rice, Joseph Fortunato (Bridget) Pucciarelli, Olivia (Shoa) Kudaka, & Grace Pucciarelli, Carla (Matt) Goodwin, Mary Elisabeth (Christopher) Yarber, & A. Samuel Pucciarelli, Christina Jacquelyn (Ben Pollack) Calph, Robert (Jena) Calph, Jr., and was great-grandmother to Santino, Rocco,

& Nico Yarber, Matteo & Marco Goodwin. Gioconda is also survived by many nieces and nephews of the Donisi family.

Gioconda was predeceased by her husband, Fortunato Pucciarelli, and her siblings, Antoinette Crispo, Antonio Ferraro, and Teresa (Paulo) Donisi.

Funeral services will be held Monday, September 2 at 9:15 a.m. from the McGraw-Kowal Funeral Home followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. at Holy Trinity Church. Calling hours will be held on Sunday, September 1, from 4-8 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to: Northern Chautauqua Catholic School, 336 Washington Avenue, Dunkirk, NY 14048.