Sylvia Mottola

Born on September 24, 1921 Departed on March 1, 2018 and resided in Purcellville, VAVisitation: Ballard Durand - White PlainsMonday March 5, 2018 7:00pm to 9:00pmTuesday March 6, 2018 2:00pm to 4:00pmTuesday March 6, 2018 7:00pm to 9:00pmMass: St. Clare of AssisiThursday March 8, 2018 10:00am to 11:00amEntombment: Ferncliff CemeteryThursday March 8, 2018 12:45pm

PLEASE NOTE SOME SERVICE TIMES HAVE CHANGED

Sylvia Mottola left this world on the wings of angels on Thursday, March 1, in the home she shared with her daughter, Lorraine Mottola. Lorraine and Sylvia's long-time aide, Michele Childs, were at her side. Sylvia lived in Purcellville, Virginia, for the past five-plus years on a 10-acre horse farm with Lorraine; her son-in-law, David Catrett; and two of her three grandchildren, Gabriella and Stephen Catrett. She also is survived by her son, Emil Mottola, her daughter-in-law, Sharon Mottola, and her grandson, Emil Joseph. Sylvia passed peacefully from this life at 96 and a half years old. She was born on September 24, 1921, in Longobardi, Cosenza, in the region of Calabria in southern Italy. Her father, Dominic San Severino, arranged passage to the United States for Sylvia and her mother, Carmela Miceli, in the fall of 1928, shortly after Sylvia turned seven. The San Severinos settled in The Bronx and began to assimilate as Americans in their New World. Sylvia attended St John's Chrysostom Church on Hoe Avenue in The Bronx, where she met her friend for life, Dorothy Purcell. It seemed so fitting when Sylvia moved to "Purcellville" where she enjoyed watching the magnificent sunsets behind the Blue Ridge Mountains, which reminded her so much of her beloved Calabria. Sylvia married Emil A. Mottola on February 4, 1951, and continued to live in The Bronx. After Sylvia and Emil separated in 1959, Sylvia sought and found employment in the New York Telephone Company where she worked her way up over the years from operator to supervisor while raising her two children. She eventually moved in with her parents who were more than happy as grandparents to take on the child care role in order to help Sylvia make ends meet. This was not the life she had envisioned for herself; but if nothing else, Sylvia was a survivor who managed to reinvent herself as a single, wage-earning mom who enabled her children to attend private Catholic school through 12th grade. Her son, Emil, was the first in the family to receive a PhD (Columbia University) and her daughter the first to graduate from college (Fordham University). When her children left home, Sylvia moved to Ocala, Florida, and enjoyed more than 12 years with her dear friends who also had retired from the phone company. She even eventually convinced Dorothy, her childhood friend, to join her in Ocala, and the group of women travelled, ate out, played cards, went bowling, and simply just "soaked in the sun." In 1999, Sylvia moved to Maryland to join Lorraine and her family, and subsequently, in 2012 to Virginia. She liked to say that "there are too many old people in Florida. I need to be around young people!" Like her parents before her, Sylvia relished the role of grandmother as she, once again, reinvented herself. Sylvia is survived by her brothers Frank San Severino and Peter Severino as well as many beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. She will be remembered for her laughter, her smile, but most of all for her love of and devotion to her family. She learned as a child a prayer that she recited often and kept in her collection of prayers: "Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God's love commits me here, ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen." We will miss her desperately but know that she is now at peace with the Lord.

In memory of my mom, please consider donating to Capital Caring Hospice, which was by my side throughout. I knew they were a non-profit, but I only learned upon my mom's passing that all donations go to support families who have no insurance. My mom was fortunate to have Medicare, but so many people have no financial support and yet still need the same things my mom needed -- emotional support as well as physical support in addition to the equipment, supplies, and 24/7access that Capital Caring Hospice provides. We are all human despite our economic status and at times like these, no one should be refused care. Please consider a donation in my mom's name. The website is: https://www.capitalcaring.org/ways-to-give/