Dora (Vanotti) Pietrafesa

Dora Vanotti Pietrafesa, 101 years of age, a longtime resident of Torrington, CT passed away of natural causes on November 30 2014. Dora was the daughter of the late Joseph Vanotti and Angelina Vanotti Bardaglio, and christened Dora Elizabeth Alicia Vanotti. Dora was married for nearly 60 years to the late Daniel C. Pietrafesa, who passed away in 2009. Dora was born in Pittsfield MA on 24 September 1913, and lived variously in Lee and Lake Congamon MA, and following the death of her father, settled in Torrington with her Mother and two brothers, Joseph Vanotti, now deceased, and ever faithful Dante Vanotti of Torrington. Dora and Daniel raised a son, Dr. Leonard J. Pietrafesa, Charlotte and Ocean Isle Beach, NC. Dora and Dan loved being with beloved Daughter in Law, Marilyn Tully Pietrafesa. Dora gloated over Grand-Daughters Faran Henwood (Dr. Treve Henwood), Grand Junction CO, Lara Fleming (Mr. Bradley Fleming), Charlotte NC and Elena Pietrafesa, Raleigh NC. Dora was lovingly known to her Grand-Daughters and her Great- Grand Children, Lanyon and Teagan Henwood and Noah and Abigail Fleming, as “Nonni”. Following her school days in a 1- room schoolhouse in Pittsfield, Dora became a telephone switch-board operator in Sturbridge MA and could have been the proto-type for Norman Rockwell’s Rosie the Riveter, as she worked at the Torrington Company through WWII, supporting herself and her son while her husband served in the US Army in Holland, Belgium and Germany. While Dora did not have an opportunity to take advantage of higher education, she strongly encouraged all young people, especially her son, and grand-daughters, to get as much education as possible. Dora was an avid dancer and swimmer and routinely swam at Highland and Mt. Tom Lakes and weekly at the YMCA, well into her 80’s. As a young teenager Dora swam out to her distressed brother, Dante, and saved him from drowning in Lake Congamon. He is now 97. She also routinely danced at area assisted living centers with a group of her lady friends, well into her late 80’s. Dora and Dan loved big cars, which explain their long line of Buicks, mostly convertibles, only interrupted by a then new classic 1957 red and cream Chevrolet. That love may have come from her father who had a 1931 touring car and her mother who loved to ride 1920’s vintage Indian Motorcycles. Dora and Dan also loved gambling in Las Vegas, Atlantic City and at the CT Mohawk and Pequot Indian Casinos. Dora had a wide array of friends and belonged to many of the social organizations associated with Saint Peter’s Church. Following several mini-strokes, Dora spent the last 5 years at Wolcott Hall where she was attended to by dedicated nursing home staff. Dora’s niece, Sharon Vanotti Bishop, visited her Aunt nearly every day. Dora was a generous and loving woman with a determined personality. Dora loved gardening and taking day and weekend trips to Gould’s in Vermont for fresh maple syrup pancakes, to visit the Old Man on the Mountain in New Hampshire, the New England coasts from Maine to Rhode Island and especially to North Carolina where her extended family lived. Dora is survived by her direct line offspring, brother Dante and niece Sharon, sister-in-law Gertrude Pietrafesa Schaller, nieces Rosemary Gancos, Phyllis Vanottti, Sharon Vanotti Bishop and Mary Cavagnero, nephews David Schaller, Chester Cavagnero and Henry Gancos and many grand and great grand nephews and nieces. Relatives and acquaintances were always welcome at Danny’s and Dora’s home and no one ever left their home hungry or thirsty. They were considered surrogate grand and great grand-parents to the several generations of children that grew up in the View Street neighborhood. Both Nonni and NuNu (Dan’s elder name) loved visiting Raleigh NC and North Carolina State University, where son Len was a professor, Head and Dean for 35 years, especially at Christmas when Len and Marilyn would entertain up to 35 guests for dinner and Dora would make 200 raviolis from scratch early Christmas morning. Returning guests learned not to fill up on the appetizer ravioli dish; tempting as they were. Dora was a great lover of music and she routinely would listen to the broadcasts of the Metropolitan Opera on Saturday afternoon’s while doing the ironing for the upcoming week. She and Dan had an extensive collection of 1920’s, 30’s and 40’s 78 RPM records and if there wasn’t a dance to be at, they would play some albums and dance at home, especially to Polkas on Sunday mornings in their kitchen. She will be remembered for her engaging smile, hearty laugh, strong opinions and exceptional appetite. Given her expansive love for children, especially those with medical challenges, contributions can be made in Dora’s memory to the Saint Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, December 3, 2014, with the cortege leaving at 10:30 a.m. from Cook Funeral Home, 82 Litchfield St., Torrington, to St. Peter Church, 107 East Main St., Torrington for a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 a.m.  Burial will follow in Hillside Cemetery.  Relatives and friends may call on Wednesday morning from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at Cook Funeral Home.   Condolences may be sent to Dora’s family by visiting www.cookfuneralhomect.com