Vincenza Antonia Lutta was born on July 1, 1935 in Ruvo di Puglia, Bari, Italy. She died on Saturday, August 14, 2021 at her home in the Bronx, New York due to complications of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). She was 86 years old. Her father, Michele Ciliberti, died when she was a toddler. Her mother, Porzia Ciliberti, died when she was 5 years old. Vincenza was the youngest of 4 children. She had 2 brothers, Saverio Ciliberti and Vincenzo Ciliberti, and a sister, Josephine Ciliberti-Kyrkostas. Her parents owned a small store in Italy where they sold pickled vegetables. Vincenza became an orphan at the age of 5. She and her sister, Josephine, were raised by Nuns at the Istituto Maria Cristina DiSavoia Orphanage in Bitonto, Bari, Italy.
On May 5, 1951, her Uncle sponsored her and her sister, Josephine, to come to the United States of America. The voyage took 19 days via the Montonave Vulcania ship. She became a U.S. citizen and worked as a seamstress making beautiful bridesmaid dresses. She was employed at Bill Levkoff Inc. for 36 years until March of 2020 when she was unable to work due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They became her extended family. She married Edward Anthony Lutta on November 20, 1973. He often said she hooked him with her chicken cacciatore dinner and her beautiful smile. She loved Uncle Eddie dearly and showed that when he became ill. She cared for him when he was ill and walked every day for 2 months to visit him when he was in a nursing home. Her actions showed her love and commitment. Vincenza was known as Auntie to her family. She was a very warm, beautiful, endearing lady. She had a green thumb and knew how to grow vegetables, it ran in the family. She is survived by her sister, Josephine, and many nephews and nieces. She was loved dearly and will be missed.
She would often cry and talk about the little girl by the window waiting for her mother to come home. That day has arrived and she is finally reunited with her mother in Heaven.
In lieu of flowers please donate to SOS Children’s Villages. It would make Auntie smile.
https://www.sos-usa.org/where-we-are/europe/italy
