Gloria Louise Crisci, aged 89 years, of New Canaan, CT, passed away on Friday, May, 29, 2020. She was born in Queens, NY to the late Alberto Gisolfi and Concetta Cantarella on January, 4, 1931.
She attended Grover Cleveland High in Ridgewood, NY, before relocating to Norwalk, CT where she worked as a telephone operator for AT&T until the early 1960s, and, thereafter, as a switchboard operator for NBC Studios in New York.
Gloria was an active member in the Catholic Church, and each of the communities she lived in throughout her life, playing many roles, such as a surrogate to neighborhood at-risk children, volunteer, a CNA specializing in elder care, and a qualified lay minister of several churches.
Faith, family and crocheting were Gloria’s passions. She was devoted to daily meditation through the rosary and practiced it faithfully her entire life.
Gloria grew up during the Second World War and the Great Depression, meeting the late Anthony Crisci, (d. May, 1983) a war hero who had served under General MacArthur, and the only man she ever loved, in the summer of 1946. They married in October of 1949 in Norwalk, CT. In the early 1960s, they returned with their children to New York City and settled in an apartment building they purchased in Williamsburg,
Brooklyn.
The youngest of eleven children, Gloria enjoyed spending weekends in Norwalk, CT with her brothers, Albert, Rudy and Vincent Gisolfi, her sisters, Millie Greco, Blanche Ciccolini, and Nancy Stabile (her identical twin), her niece, Roberta Sylvestri, her sister-in-laws, Olympia, Viola, Phyllis and Millie Gisolfi, and brother-in-laws, Dominic Ciccolini and John Stabile. She had too many lifelong friends to mention here.
After returning to Norwalk, in the 1970s, Gloria worked as a receptionist with FAG Bearings and then spent time in Jerusalem, Egypt, and Rome. She enjoyed time on the ocean with her only daughter, Alberta Croce, and spent long weekends with her and her devoted son-in-law, Patrick, at their home in Monroe, NY. During this same period, she reveled in hosting summers for their child, her eldest granddaughter, Jean Gloria.
Gloria loved and deeply touched the lives of all those she knew. Her life was a living example of Ephesians 4:32 —“And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.”
She was the mother of five children: Alberta, Ernest, Anthony & Arthur, and Christopher Crisci. She is survived by her sons, Anthony, Arthur and Christopher, son-in-laws Patrick Croce and Joseph Fedele, daughter-in-laws, Traci Crisci and Victoria Dunham (a devoted advocate throughout her final years), grandchildren, Jean Fedele (only child of her late daughter, Alberta Croce), Alison Crisci Tuner, Elizabeth Crisci, Anthony Crisci (children of her late son, Ernest Crisci), Bryan & Meghan Crisci, and Emma & Michael Crisci. She leaves four great-grandchildren, Joanna, Janice & Jillian Fedele, and Hudson Ernie Crisci, along with nieces, Roberta Sylvestri, Janice Montellesse, Cetti Clock, Nancy Croce and nephew, Rudy Gisolfi.
Gloria will be interred along side her devoted husband, Anthony, and steps away from her loving children, Alberta (d. February, 1995) and Ernie. (d. December, 2003), each of whom she has already rejoined in paradise.
The family requests donations be made in Gloria’s name to BiblesForTheWorld.org.