Gloria Dicosola

Gloria Delores Dicosola, aged 91, died Saturday, April 11, 2020 due to complications from the COVID-19 pandemic. She was born Gloria Delores Collica, 6/30/1928 in the Bronx, NY, and attended Walton High School there. Gloria was the youngest of 3 children born to Catherine Tekla (Tessie) Karmazyn Collica and Agostino (Augie) Collica. She adored her brothers Vittorio (Victor) and Nicolo (Nick) Collica. Good with figures, Gloria worked as a payroll supervisor in various settings in Manhattan, The Bronx and Suffolk County before the move to Stuart, Fla. Her marriage to Vincent Dicosola, in 1950 endured 63 years until his death in 2013. In her teens she began a life-long love affair with music, hearing the big bands in the Times Square area and even meeting the young Frank Sinatra once backstage, courtesy of a friend who was secretary to the Harry James Orchestra. She enjoyed ballroom dancing and would demonstrate the dances of her day with the least encouragement. She was known for being an expert seamstress, and sewed many of her own garments from scratch. She enjoyed playing the organ and trips to the casino. Living at Sunrise of Stamford for the past three years she was known as "The Dancer" and even a broken hip didn't slow her down. As soon as she heard music she would sway to the rhythm. In December, on one of her last outings, a hip-hop DJ was spinning tunes at the Norwalk Mall's Bloomingdale's opening. Gloria sashayed right up to the booth with her walker. The DJ got down and danced with her. She is survived by her son Steven V. Dicosola of Ossining, NY; daughter Susan T. Dicosola and her partner, Philip Calabrese, both of Stamford, CT; granddaughter Alyssa C. Byrne of Brooklyn, NY; niece Ann Santelli and her husband Pat of Chestnut Ridge, NY; niece Lisa Marie Russell and son Vincent Rocco Russell of Chestnut Ridge, niece Rosemary Raymond and her husband Leo, grand nephew Nicholas Raymond, grand niece Jennifer Colgan and her husband Justin, as well as other beloved cousins, nieces, and nephews. A virtual celebration of life service will be announced at a later date. Donations can be made in her name to: Doctors Without Borders, 40 Rector St., 16th Floor, New York, NY 10006