Mary Ellen Frassa's Obituary
MARY ELLEN FRASSA, 53, passed peacefully on May 28, 2015, at home surrounded by her loving family. Mary was born with Down Syndrome in Albany, Georgia, on May 13, 1962 to Conrad and Gloria Frassa. The family transferred to MacDill AFB in 1966 to accommodate her special educational needs.
Fate seemingly dealt Mary an unkind hand, yet she proved otherwise. Mary brought out the best in others. Those who knew her were inspired by her purity, humility and detachment from the material world.
Mary was the centering force of her large family and infused a tight knit structure through her lasting examples to be of service to others and to find contentment in the small things. Her enthusiastic anticipation for all holidays and birthdays created lifelong memories and family traditions. She proudly shared her birthday with her twin sisters born six years earlier. All three of their birthdates were on Mothers’ Day.
Before Alzheimer’s robbed her of her speech and mobility, Mary led an active and full life. Mary graduated from LaVoy Exceptional Center, where her father joyously taught for decades. She attended MacDonald Training Center’s “Littlest Angels” and went on to work at HARC for over 30 years. Her attention to detail earned her the position of supervisor at her workplace. Mary maximized her talents in all that she did, and she possessed the special gift of anticipating and fulfilling the needs of others. Mary loved bowling, golf, and tennis and applied these skills to participating in countless Special Olympics. Her large family, summer camp, sign language, puzzles, watching football, dancing, household chores, soda and a good meal were sources of great joy.
To know Mary was to love Mary. She challenged us to be more patient, compassionate and to recognize the value in each person. We believe our angel on earth is now an angel in Heaven.
Mary was predeceased by her father, Conrad Frassa, and is survived by her mother, Gloria Frassa; together her parents faithfully cared for her at home during her entire lifetime and passing. She is also survived by brother, David Frassa; sisters Janet (Kenny) Dayton, Lynne DeLaRosa, Laura (Wayne) Whitlock, Amy (Bryan) Rotella. Her nieces and nephews include Sonia Frassa; Kristen Willis and Lora Dayton; Nicholas, Jonathan and Matthew Whitlock; Thea Venzor, Michael Conrad and Ryan DeLaRosa and Nikki Dion. Her great-nieces and nephews include Janessa Whitlock, Stella and Jack Venzor, Skylar Fountain, Kamryn and Nathan Dion.
If you wish to make a donation in Mary’s remembrance, please consider Cedar Kirk Camp & Conference Center to sponsor a disabled camper (1920 Streetman Drive, Lithia, Florida 33547) http://cedarkirk.org/ or Special Olympics Florida (1915 Don Wickham Drive, Clermont, Florida 34711).
https://secure.specialolympics.org/site/c.mlIYIjNZJuE/b.6644267/k.8E0D/Your_gift_can_change_a_life/apps/ka/sd/donorcustom.asp?BeneficiaryID=FL109
Family will be receiving friends Monday, June 1, 2015 from 5 PM to 8 PM, with Services at 6:30 PM at Boza & Roel Funeral Home, 4730 North Armenia Avenue, Tampa, FL 33603. Interment will be Tuesday, June 2, 2015 at 11 AM at Florida National Cemetery, 6502 S.W. 102nd Ave., Bushnell, FL 33513.
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