On April 17, 1943, Phyllis “Cookie” DeRita was born in Brooklyn to Michael and Rosalina Tufarelli. She was the second of four sisters: Angela, MaryAnn and Annette. Cookie married the love of her life, Philip “Bobby” DeRita, in June 1963. Cookie lives on through her sons, Robert and Michael, daughters-in-law Barbara and Lisa, and grandchildren,Continue Reading
On April 17, 1943, Phyllis “Cookie” DeRita was born in Brooklyn to Michael and Rosalina Tufarelli. She was the second of four sisters: Angela, MaryAnn and Annette. Cookie married the love of her life, Philip “Bobby” DeRita, in June 1963. Cookie lives on through her sons, Robert and Michael, daughters-in-law Barbara and Lisa, and grandchildren, Nicole, Alexander, Michael, Christopher, Joseph, and Makayla. She was known as “Grandma” to all, including the two granddaughters she gained later in life, Laura and Emily. Nothing made Cookie happier than surrounding the table with family for Sunday dinner.
Cookie will be remembered for her love of word search puzzles, crocheting, and trips to Atlantic City. She never failed to keep holiday traditions alive, even if it meant insisting her twenty-something-year-old grandchildren dye Easter eggs and watch Frosty the Snowman… “AND LIKE IT!” She loved to laugh at her family’s jokes – or at least at them laughing at their own jokes, as she would say.
Cookie crossed many things off of her bucket list, including visiting Las Vegas and Disney World, apple picking, meeting Paul Anka and seeing Celine Dion live in concert, but nothing made her happier than being home with her family. Through the years, her house was the “Dew Drop Inn.” Everyone was welcome for a meatball and “something sweet.”
Cookie was a superwoman, never allowing the health battles she fought to dim her positive spirit and compassion for those around her. We take comfort in knowing she was welcomed into Heaven by her parents and her beloved dogs, Dandy and KC, and that we will see her again.
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Melina Mastroianni
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Melina Mastroianni
left a message on June 15, 2023:
theresa flammia grace
left a message on May 28, 2023:
Connie Jenkins
left a message on May 27, 2023:
Carmela from lemon tree
left a message on May 27, 2023:
JoAnne Aguele Nelson
left a message on May 26, 2023:
Massapequa Funeral Home
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