Obituary of Phyllis C. Laurenzi
Lifelong Boonton resident Phyllis C. Laurenzi passed away peacefully on Monday, October 28, 2019 at her home surrounded by her family. She was 91. Her family was her proudest accomplishment and she leaves behind 9 of her 10 children, 12 grandchildren, and 9 great-grandchildren. Her loving husband, Aristide, and her adored son, Paul, predeceased her.
Born in Boonton on March 4, 1928, Phyllis was the only daughter of Vincenzo and Maria (née Maviglia) Conca. Her parents and brothers Louis, Alfred and Samuel also predeceased her. Her devoted brother, Benito, and cherished sister-in-law, Eufrasia, who both survive her, were her dearest companions.
Phyllis was a 1945 graduate of Boonton High School, and received a degree from Fairleigh Dickinson in 1947. Her career in New York with American Express was interrupted, when she chose to remain home and care for her ailing mother.
On September 10, 1950, she married the love of her life, Aristide, of Salerno, Italy. Their marriage, a singular love story, was the culmination of a two-year transatlantic correspondence, and flourished for 59 years as they raised their 10 children.
She had a deep, abiding faith and was a lifelong parishioner of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, serving as a Eucharistic minister and participating in Bible study for many years.
A generous host and a calm presence to her family and friends, she was a wonderful cook, an enthusiastic gardener and was fond of sewing and knitting. She traveled widely, and took particular pleasure in her trips to Vermont, Italy, St. Petersburg, Lourdes and the Holy Land. An avid reader with many interests, including history, biography and literature, she never stopped learning. She loved the opera, and attended regularly. While Phyllis always had an active interest in the family business, Delmhorst Instrument Co., she became a regular presence there after her youngest child left for college.
Phyllis' family was a source of joy and strength—her children Adeline, Thomas (Barbara), Patricia, Maria (Michael), Sandra, John (Paulette), Mark (Margarethe), Francesca, Christopher and Paul; her grandchildren Patrick (Heather), Thomas (Jennifer), Alexis (Elmer), Michael (Genevieve), and Michael (Tracie), Christina, Charlotte, Isabelle, Sophia, Maximilian, Alexander and Matthew; and her great-grandchildren Tierney, Isabella, Genevieve, Josephine, Melody, Elijah, Lorenzo, Valentina and Leonardo.
Many cousins, nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, and other family members also remember her fondly, here and in Italy.
Friends and family may call at Codey & Mackey Funeral Home at 107 Essex Avenue, Boonton, NJ on Friday, November 1st from 4 to 8 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 910 Birch Street, Boonton, on Saturday, November 2nd at 10 am, with interment to follow at St. Mary's Cemetery. Remembrances in Phyllis' honor may be made to Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church (www.olmc.church) or to Covenant House, 461 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10001 (www.covenanthouse.org).