Amazing Property in Lakeville! 5707 Big Tree Rd
585-503-8750
At age 86, Anita passed peacefully at home on April 11, 2021 on her father’s birthday. She was born in Rochester, NY to the late Michael and Lena (Provenzano) DiBella. In addition to her parents she was predeceased by her daughter Michelle Stefano. Survived by her husband of 64 years, James V. Stefano Sr. and children; Jim (Virginia) Stefano, Jr. of Livonia, John Stefano of FL, and Gary (Concordia) Stefano of NJ; grandchildren, Leanne (Eric) Bohannon, Jeanne (Don) Brown, Cheyenne Michelle Stefano, Dakota Stefano, Cole Stefano, Nicolena Stefano and James Stefano; great-grandchildren, Gianna, Maria, Clara, Mark, Donald Jr., and James; sister Barbara (Patrick) Fornataro and many loving nieces, nephews, in-laws, caring cousins, godchild Kelvin Dowd and her friend Grace Dowd who pre-deceased her.
Anita was born and raised on Sherman St. in Rochester and was closest to her sister Barbara, cousin Diane and her Uncle John and Aunt Cutchie Provenzano. She attended Nazareth Academy, where many of her classmates became lifelong friends, and graduated from Rochester Business School. Anita met Jim on a blind date, were married in 1956, and built their home and raised their children in Henrietta. She became a medical secretary for the Rochester Ophthalmological Group for many decades, making forever friends with Kim Walker, Chris Jones and Mary Hopp (deceased), and Mary’s sister’s Ann Barbato and Evelyn Thompson (both since deceased).
Anita and Jim moved to Livonia in the 70’s making that their home, and had one of the first Bed and Breakfasts in the area in the late 1980s. They built a new home in 2006. Anita made their homes always open to their neighbors, many new friends they made over the years, and to her extended family, in-laws, nieces and nephews. Her grand daughter Jeanne moved across the street and was like a daughter to her and Jim, and she was closest to her niece Patti Fornataro.
Anita and Jim traveled to many destinations with one purpose in mind, to visit family and friends. Anita always had a camera in-hand to capture and keep those moments close to her. The phone calls never stopped at the house nor did the flow of great Italian food and her special Sicilian Pizza recipe handed down from her mother Lena. Anita helped her son Jim capture her “secret” minestrone recipe in her final days. Her neighbor Sheila Wolf later became her special caregiver in her home, which was her final resting place after a progressive battle with congestive heart failure. A special thanks to Dr.’s Andrew Wolfe and Ryan Nelson for their outstanding personal care over the years.
No prior calling hours will be held per Anita’s wishes. Her Funeral Mass will be held at 10am on Friday, April 16th, at St. Matthew Catholic Church, 6591 Richmond Mills Road, Rte. 20A, Livonia, NY and all are welcome to attend. For those not able, it will be live streamed on the St. Matthew Facebook page at http://facebook.com/stsmaryandmatthewfaithcommunity. Burial at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Rochester, NY on Saturday, April 17th, at 11am, all are welcome to meet at the Lake Avenue Gate at 10:45am. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Matthew Catholic Church, PO Box 77, Livonia, NY 14487 or to the School of the Holy Childhood, 100 Groton Parkway, Rochester, NY 14623. To send a condolence or share a memory please visit: www.doughertyfuneralhomes.com
