Edith Donatucci, 89, devoted matriarch

PULLING UP to grandmom's and granddad's house on Briar Drive in Broomall was a special treat for the grandkids.

"Walking in the front door and having Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop greet us with open arms and big smiles made us feel like the most important people in the world," Heather and Alissa wrote in a tribute to Mom-Mom.

And there was always food. TastyKakes, pretzels, Bassetts ice cream, homemade meatballs and Mom-Mom's special pancakes - "whatever it was, it always tasted better in Broomall," the grandchildren wrote.

Mom-Mom, Edith M. Donatucci, who chose nursing as a career because she had a passion for helping people, died Oct. 23. She was 89. The family matriarch was devoted to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The grandchildren, who lived in distant states, wrote:

"Alissa remembers the walks they would take together during visits to California, when Mom-Mom would speak fondly of her nursing days and would share stories of when we were younger and the funny things she witnessed us doing over the years.

"Heather has adopted Mom-Mom's mantra, 'Do the best you can with what you've got,' because it's comforting and puts things in perspective when times get tough.

"When we think of these things, we feel closer to her. In that way, Mom-Mom will never be gone. She was an amazing woman and will forever remain in our lives."

The grandkids are now grown up. Heather is Heather Miller Medure and Alissa is Alissa Miller Hernandez.

"Now, as adults," they wrote, "we take her lessons and try to use them as we raise our own children."

Edith Donatucci was born in Philadelphia, the youngest of the eight children of Antonio and Angelina DiMartino. She was educated at Vare Junior High School and South Philadelphia High School.

While at Vare, she was a classmate of Alfred Cocozza's, who sat behind her and used to pull her pigtails. He grew up to be Mario Lanza.

No doubt, Edith was his fan because she loved opera. In fact, a nephew, Paul Camarota, was a bassoonist with the Metropolitan Opera and she made frequent trips to New York to hear him play.

Edith received her nursing degree from St. Agnes Nursing School and worked as a labor and delivery nurse at St. Agnes.

In 1942, she married Francis J. "Frank" Donatucci, who in the '90s was chairman of the Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission, which regulates real-estate brokers and agents.

The family moved to Broomall in 1955. After her five children were grown, Edith decided to return to nursing. After taking a refresher course at Fitzgerald-Mercy Hospital, she went to work part-time at the Dunwoody Village Care Center in Broomall.

She completed her nursing career as a private-duty hospice nurse.

"She loved helping people," said her daughter, Lynn Gallagher. "She was the most compassionate person I have ever known. Nothing was beyond her to do for others."

Edith was a longtime member of St. Anastasia Church, where she attended daily Mass and participated as a lector.

She also enjoyed traveling and visited Europe and Hawaii. Among her travel destinations were the scattered homes of her children.

"She liked to say she had five children in five states," her daughter said. "She always looked forward to visiting them."

Besides her husband and daughter, she is survived by two other daughters, Karen S. Miller and Carol S. Donatucci; two sons, Craig F. and Robert J. Donatucci; a brother, Russell Donatucci; two sisters, Millie Persico and Mary Talamini; six grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

Services: Were Oct. 28. Burial was in Ss. Peter & Paul Cemetery, Marple.

Donations may be made to Dunwoody Village Care Center, 3500 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square PA 19073, or Caring Hospice, 400 Commerce Drive, Suite C, Fort Washington PA 19034.