Clara D’Amato Obituary, Death – After living a long and wonderful life, Clara P. (Pitaro) D’Amato, who was 103 years old and lived in Bristol, passed away in a calm manner on Friday, January 26, 2024. It was her husband, Pasquale J. D’Amato (PJ), who was a hero during World War II. After the passing of her parents, Frank and Caterina (Macri) Pitaro, Clara Pitaro was the eldest of their four children. She was born on May 21, 1920 in the region of Calabria, Italy.
When she was a little child, she travelled to the United States with her parents and arrived at Ellis Island. She finally made her home in Bristol so that she could be closer to her relatives. She received her diploma from Bristol High School in the year 1939.
Her passion for cooking began when she would go to the houses of her neighbours after school and cook for their family for twenty-five cents based on the menus that were left for her. This is where she got her start in the culinary world.
While Clara was attending a church event, her companion observed a man who was quite attractive. Although Clara was familiar with the man and had introduced them to one another, it was PJ, the gorgeous man, who ended up asking her out for ice cream at the conclusion of the gathering, rather than the buddy.
On September 18, 1939, they went out on their first date together. Rockwell Park was the location of PJ’s marriage proposal, and on November 28, 1940, the couple tied the knot. Over the course of their 71 years of marriage, their love remained strong.
Their four children were brought up by Clara, who remained at home to raise them. Part-time employment at Sears Roebuck was something she pursued after the children reached their adulthood.
She remained there for twenty-four years, during which time she made acquaintances that would last a lifetime. She began her involvement with St. Anthony’s Church as a soloist in the choir when she was 19 years old. She was a devoted member of the congregation.
Throughout her entire life, she was devoted to this church, which is today known as St. Francis de Sales Parish. Even after reaching the age of 100, she continued to be an active volunteer and remained a member of the choir for a total of 72 years.
There were a lot of happy couples who were fortunate enough to have Clara perform at their weddings because she had a great voice. The Red Hat Society and the St. Anthony Rosary Society were both organisations that she was a part of.