Gloria E. (Leone) Pavese
September 24, 1927 — June 9, 2015
Gloria E. (Leone) Pavese
GLORIA E. (LEONE) PAVESE, 87, formerly of Yonkers, NY; Toms River, NJ; and Delray Beach, FL; passed away peacefully on Tuesday, June 9, 2015, surrounded by her family in Narragansett, RI. She was the beloved wife of the late Renato Pavese; devoted mother/mother-in-law of Rhonda Pavese-Morrill and husband Tom of Narragansett, RI and Robert R. Pavese and partner, Gregg Gaubatz of San Francisco, CA; cherished grandmother of Evan and Brittany E. Morrill; dear sister of Aldo Leone of Yonkers, NY and the late Yolanda Leone; and devoted companion of Max Minkoff of Delray Beach, FL.
Gloria was born in Manhattan, September 24, 1927, to Italian immigrants - the late Giacomo and Francesca Josepina (Balbo) Leone. At a time when the country was recovering from the Great Depression and World War II posed new challenges, her early life in Hell's Kitchen (Manhattan) be it difficult, was rich in memories: treasured times spent at the Hartley Settlement House on 46th Street - a place where immigrant children would gather after school and learn the ways of their new country while parents worked late hours; street stickball games with local kids offered glimpses of an aging Babe Ruth and a young Joe DiMaggio; strolls down city streets with film/stage idol Tyrone Power. The back door of the Paramount Theatre was a familiar bobbysoxer perch as heart throb Frank Sinatra was launching his career. In her early 20s, she worked as an assistant producer at WBNX, a progressive Italian radio station - her office was frequented by a young Tony Benedetto hoping to get some air time... .he later changed his name to Tony Bennet. Her boss, Lido Belli was taken off the air by the Office of Censorship for alleged fascist support, but his name was later cleared.
Gloria and Renato (Ray) married in 1953 and moved to Yonkers where they lived the American dream - built a house, started a business and raised a family. Family and friends gravitated to the house knowing they were welcome. Always seeking adventure and a penchant for traveling, the family would set out each summer in the family car and explore the country. Upon retirement from Stella D'Oro Bakery they relocated to Toms River, NJ and Delray Beach, FL. Travels later in life took her to Asia, Africa and Europe with her dear companion of 25 plus years, Max Minkoff.
Well known for her engaging ways and love of life, Gloria made friends far and wide. She loved music and dancing, wouldn't miss a good card game and was a ringer at the bowling alley and the bocce courts. Most of all she cherished her time with family.
A memorial service will be held at Hitchcock Presbyterian Church, 6 Greenacres Avenue, Scarsdale, NY on July 19 at 2PM. Contributions in her name may be made to: Home & Hospice Care of Rhode Island, 1085 North Main Street, Providence, RI 02904; Parkinson's Disease Foundation, 1359 Broadway, Suite 1509, New York, NY 10018.
Gloria was born in Manhattan, September 24, 1927, to Italian immigrants - the late Giacomo and Francesca Josepina (Balbo) Leone. At a time when the country was recovering from the Great Depression and World War II posed new challenges, her early life in Hell's Kitchen (Manhattan) be it difficult, was rich in memories: treasured times spent at the Hartley Settlement House on 46th Street - a place where immigrant children would gather after school and learn the ways of their new country while parents worked late hours; street stickball games with local kids offered glimpses of an aging Babe Ruth and a young Joe DiMaggio; strolls down city streets with film/stage idol Tyrone Power. The back door of the Paramount Theatre was a familiar bobbysoxer perch as heart throb Frank Sinatra was launching his career. In her early 20s, she worked as an assistant producer at WBNX, a progressive Italian radio station - her office was frequented by a young Tony Benedetto hoping to get some air time... .he later changed his name to Tony Bennet. Her boss, Lido Belli was taken off the air by the Office of Censorship for alleged fascist support, but his name was later cleared.
Gloria and Renato (Ray) married in 1953 and moved to Yonkers where they lived the American dream - built a house, started a business and raised a family. Family and friends gravitated to the house knowing they were welcome. Always seeking adventure and a penchant for traveling, the family would set out each summer in the family car and explore the country. Upon retirement from Stella D'Oro Bakery they relocated to Toms River, NJ and Delray Beach, FL. Travels later in life took her to Asia, Africa and Europe with her dear companion of 25 plus years, Max Minkoff.
Well known for her engaging ways and love of life, Gloria made friends far and wide. She loved music and dancing, wouldn't miss a good card game and was a ringer at the bowling alley and the bocce courts. Most of all she cherished her time with family.
A memorial service will be held at Hitchcock Presbyterian Church, 6 Greenacres Avenue, Scarsdale, NY on July 19 at 2PM. Contributions in her name may be made to: Home & Hospice Care of Rhode Island, 1085 North Main Street, Providence, RI 02904; Parkinson's Disease Foundation, 1359 Broadway, Suite 1509, New York, NY 10018.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Gloria E. (Leone) Pavese, please visit our flower store.
