Obituary of Catherine T. Tavella

Catherine T. Tavella, 91, of Troy passed on to heaven peacefully on Saturday, February 1, 2020 surrounded by her loving family. Catherine (“Nuzza”) was born in Jonadi, Catanzaro, Italy on December 21, 1928 and was the daughter the late Frank and Maria Rosa Cichello. She immigrated to the United States in 1948. She returned to Italy to marry the love of her life Frank Tavella in 1955. They both returned to America to raise their four beloved children. Catherine worked at Cluett & Peabody making shirts from 1948 to 1952. She also worked at the Freshmen Dining Hall at RPI for almost 20 years. While working at the dining hall, she also cared for her grandchildren during the day before working the evening shift. Catherine had a deep faith in the Lord. She was a member of a rosary society and she always said her “Rosario” multiple times a day. She always prayed to the patron saint of her hometown “Madonna degli Angeli” to guide her in her life. She loved all types of plants and flowers and amazed everyone with her green thumb. She loved cooking her Italian Sunday dinners for her family along with “The Feast of the Seven Fishes” on Christmas Eve. She would very often make her homemade pastas (tagliere and cavatelli) the old fashion way by taking out her wooden board and making her pasta by hand. Catherine had a “gift for gab”. She loved to have daily conversations with friends talking about her family and her life in Italy. Catherine is survived by her children Rosa Walker (Daniel), Joe Tavella (Jackie Davis), and Francine Laferriere (Frank Castro); grandchildren Evan Tavella (Cara), Daniel Walker (Jinelle), Brad Walker, Jared Walker, Steven Walker, Emiliano Gutierrez, and Maria Laferriere; and her two great-grandchildren Stella and Cecilia Tavella; her sister Elisa Messina (Angelo); and her sister-in-law Diana Cichello, her niece Joanne Heller (Scott Heller), nephew Bruno Messina (Mary Ellen), and niece Francesca Cichello (Adam Daily). She is predeceased by her beloved husband Frank, her daughter Angela Gutierrez (Guillermo) and her brothers Salvatore and Frank. Funeral will begin Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. from the Morris-Stebbins-Miner & Sanvidge Funeral Home, 312 Hoosick St., Troy, NY 12180 thence to Our Lady of Victory Church, 55 North Lake Avenue, Troy, NY 12180 where at 9:30 a.m. the Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated. Relatives and friends are invited and may call at the funeral home on Tuesday from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Entombment will be held in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Troy. Catherine’s family wishes to express their sincere appreciation to Dr. Resta and staff, the nurses and staff on the Samaritan Hospital 5th Floor and the Hospice Unit at Samaritan there for all of the compassionate and loving care which was provided to her and her family. Please feel free offer on-line condolences on this page.