Filomena Manzo

Filomena Manzo, age 88 of Kettering, OH, passed away Monday, June 28, 2021, in Fountain Valley, CA, surrounded in love by her family throughout the US and in Italy. She had been suffering for some time due to degenerative spinal problems, and Alzheimer's disease.

She was born in Casale, Italy, on February 3, 1933, to the late Maddalena (Auciello) and Fiorangelo DiSalvo and, along with her husband and two older children, emigrated to Kettering, Ohio in 1970.

Along with her parents, she is preceded in death by her husband, Gino Manzo, and his parents, Lucia (Potesta) and Bernardo Manzo.
Filomena is survived by her children, Bernardina Guichard (Don), Lucio Manzo (Lia Kroeze), Tony Manzo (Antonella Caloro); grandchildren, Alessandra Pease (Ben), Sarah Guichard, Samantha Manzo (Josh Galbraith), Adam Guichard, Isabella Manzo, Domenic Manzo, Max Manzo and three great-grandchildren, Julien Parker, Ivy Antonella and Talia Monroe.

She was a member of the St. Bonaventure Church in Huntington Beach, CA and St. Charles Borromeo in Kettering and a previous member of the Duronia Club and the John Pirelli Lodge of The Order Sons of Italy.

She enjoyed working in her garden, tending to the many beautiful flowers and plants that surrounded their home in Kettering; frequently recognized for their efforts by the City of Kettering with neighborhood beautification awards. She had a natural flair for cultivating plants and growing the vegetables and herbs she would use in the many dishes she prepared for the family throughout the year. Along with Gino, the two maintained the many traditions they were accustomed to from the old country, like making sausage and wine every year, both coveted by their children and grandchildren.

She spent countless hours crocheting and knitting, providing a treasure trove of blankets, lace bedspreads, tablecloths, doilies and artwork. Her greatest joy was seeing her grandchildren and having something delicious ready for them to eat. Fresh homemade pasta, cavatelli, lasagna, pizzelle and many other Italian cookies and sweets were always available in abbondanza.

Anyone who knew Filomena recognized her as a hard worker, as she toiled in maintaining not only the DiSalvo family properties in Casale,after her parents, along with her four siblings, emigrated to the US shortly after she and Gino married, but also those that came with her marriage to Gino in Duronia and surrounding properties. Her lifestyle did not allow for much leisure time as she was always busy taking care of crops, animals, the two houses and her children. Butshe leaves behind fond memories in her children of how she could make the most of what she had, be it through the beauty of the flowers, especially her favorite oleanders she grew on the large terrace in Duronia, and in front of the Kettering home, to the value she placed in making time to recognize and celebrate special occasions and holiday traditions and to take a moment to just laugh.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 am on Friday, July 16, 2021at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, 4500 Ackerman Blvd, Kettering. Family will greet friends at the church starting at 9:30 am. Final resting place will be at Calvary Cemetery, 1625 Calvary Ave, Dayton.

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