Joan (Gaul) Vitanza, age 88, formerly of Greenwich, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family, on Monday, April 11, at her home. She was the devoted wife of the late Basilio A. Vitanza.
Born in Bronx, NY on June 5, 1933, Joan was the daughter of the late Andrew and Rose (Packer) Gaul. She was a graduate of Greenwich High School and later acquired her Real Estate License. She was a bookkeeper for American Cyanamid for over 20 years until her retirement. She was a volunteer for Stamford Hospital and later the Cheshire Senior Center. Joan was a longtime parishioner of St. Catherine of Sienna Church in Riverside, Connecticut and later St. Patrick’s Church in Waterbury.
Joan met her husband, Basilio, when they were teenagers in the Bronx. They were married in a simple ceremony in town hall and shortly after, moved to Greenwich where she lived for over 40 years. Together they raised four children and successfully invested in real estate. Joan was a smart investor and believed in hard work. She often worked two jobs in order to provide for her family. Joan instilled that dedicated work ethic into her children.
Throughout her years, Joan was an avid reader who regularly traded books with family and friends. She enjoyed going to the theater and her favorite musicals were West Side Story and Jersey Boys. She loved music and singalongs of classic tunes with her sisters on special occasions. Joan played poker with a passion in games with her friends and during trips to the casino. She was a New York Yankees fan, who rooted for her team through her final days. Traveling was one of her favorite pastimes, especially her many vacations in Aruba. Most of all, Joan was devoted to her family and spending time with her children and grandchildren, who were the light of her life.
Joan is survived by her sons, Scott Vitanza and his wife Kelsey of Cheshire, and Michael Vitanza and his wife Krista of Fairfield. She also leaves behind her grandchildren, Summer, Bailey, Leo, Zoë and Rocco Vitanza; her sisters, Grace Bottino of New Mexico, and Dorothy Vitiello of Naugatuck; as well as her nephew, Louis Bottino; her nieces, Rosemary Scully and Lynn Wicht; and several cousins and friends. In addition to Basilio, the love of her life and her husband of 36 years, she was predeceased by her son, Robert Vitanza; her daughter, Carol Vitanza; her sister, Marilyn Wicht; her nephew, William Wicht; and her longtime companion, Francis Calka.
Joan’s visitation will be held on Tuesday, April 19 from 4-8pm at Maiorano Funeral Home, 95 Willow St, Waterbury. Her funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday, April 20 at 11am at St. Catherine of Sienna Church, 4 Riverside Avenue, Riverside. Burial will follow in St. Mary’s Putnam Cemetery in Greenwich. Family and friends are asked to meet directly at the church.
Memorial contributions in Joan’s name may be made to a charity created in honor of her son Robert, benefiting research for Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, Rock4RV. Checks can be made payable to CJD Foundation, Inc. (denote “Rock4RV” in the memo), 3634 W. Market St, Ste. 110, Akron, OH 44333 or online at Rock4RV.com
For more information and online condolences, please visit, maioranofuneralhome.com
