Gilda Emily Mazzurana, age 97, passed away peacefully in San Antonio on November 2nd. She was born on August 20, 1927 in San Antonio to Michele (Michael) and Elvira Rizzo who were active parishioners at San Francesco di Paolo Italian Catholic Church in downtown San Antonio. Gilda attended Fox Tech High School here before marrying Eugene Mazzurana on September 23, 1951. They were happily married for over 70 years and, while raising their six children, Gilda dutifully kept the books for Eugene's local business: Mazzurana Memorials.

A devoted mother, she and Eugene were always there for family activities -- from music and art to dance and sports. This dedication saw her there for the birth of her grandchildren -- save for one grandson born overseas. Her seven great-grandchildren would later love to call her 'Queen Nana'.

She and Eugene were members of the Holy Family Guild at St. Anne Catholic Church early in their marriage. Gilda was an avid crafter of needlepoint, crochet and all type of sewing and knitting. She later shared her talents with the St. Luke's Crafting Guild where they made Altar Linens and decorations that adorned the church's premises as well as for the homes of family and friends. Her beautifully crocheted Christmas Angels are deeply cherished by her family as works of art and love.

Gilda loved family gatherings, especially at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Meals would be a feast of Italian and American food, along with a large variety of Italian cookies for dessert. Her children will always cherish the memories of preparing the Italian meals with Gilda, where she would teach them how to make the best stuffed rigatoni, perfect tomato sauce and properly sized & shaped meatballs. The wonderful smell of cooking food that permeated the whole house was the fragrance of love in action. Making the Italian cookies was special for Gilda and her grown children as she guided them in the intricacies of making "grespelle" while Eugene prepared glasses of his patented Vodka Collins! Gilda always made sure there was plenty of leftover meatballs & cookies so her guest could take home "goodie bags". During family gatherings, everyone relished playing multi-generational card games. She was tickled pink watching her engaged grandchildren strategize how to win and provided her own unintentional humor by constantly scolding Eugene to stay focused.

During such times that Gilda would remind her family how much she loved them and how very proud she was of each one of them. Both Gene and Gilda always regarded their children's spouses as a special part of the family.

Gilda's love and warmth was extended to her neighbors and guests. Her house was a place of gathering for the neighborhood kids, be it to play basketball on the driveway or to enjoy homemade pizza after football games. This gift of hospitality continued when she and her husband moved to Villa De San Antonio and then to the Village at Incarnate Word. She was warm and welcoming to the staff and would share stories and dispense words of wisdom along with her never ending supply of chocolate kisses. Gilda truly came to love the staff as they came to love her. The family is eternally grateful to the staff at Incarnate Word's Angelique House and especially to the Sisters Care in her final days.

Gilda is survived by her sister Rita Ponzio, her six children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren: John Philip (Diana Ragan Adams) Mazzurana; Jeanine (Marc) Johnson, son Jarrett; Patricia (Steve) King, son Paul; Marilynn (Michael) Barth, daughters Amanda (Greg) Mangelsdorf, children Theodore, Henry, and Katherine, Kathleen (Derek) Biggs, children Emma and Charlotte, Emily (Phil) Gaffney, children Finnegan and Callaghan; Eugene Michael (Julie Christenson) Mazzurana; Paul David (Lori) Mazzurana, sons Brendan and Thomas.

FUNERAL SERVICES

Saturday, November 9, 2024

Visitation will begin at 10:00 A.M.

Funeral Mass to be offered at 11:00 A.M.

St. Joseph's Chapel at the

Village of the Incarnate Word

Monday, November 11, 2024

Graveside Services will be held at 10:00 A.M.

San Fernando Archdiocesan Cemetery No.2

MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the

Village at Incarnate Word:

https://www.thevillageiw.org/supportthevillage/