Mrs. Mary (Velleca) Silvia

Mary Velleca Silvia, 98, a native and long-term resident of Bristol who spent her final years living with her children in California, passed away on Dec. 8, 2017, in Ojai, Calif., at the home of her daughter, Mary-Ellen (Silvia) McGee.
She was the fifth of six children of Albert and Mary (Buondonna) Velleca, both natives of Italy.  She was preceded in death by her husband of 25 years, Charles Silvia, and was the widow of William Correia of Warren, who was killed in World War II. She was also preceded in death by brothers John, Carl, and Albert, and sisters Jenny Ferrara and Emily DelToro.
She is survived by her 3 children: William “Rusty” Correia (Carol) of Huntington Beach, Calif.; Mary-Ellen McGee (John) of Ojai, Calif.; and Jane Silvia (John Korty) of Point Reyes Station, Calif.; as well as three grandchildren: Catherine Correia, William Correia III, and Gabriel Korty, and two great-grandchildren, Sean and Madeline Correia. Her grandson, Roscoe McGee, preceded her in death. 
Mary was born and raised in Bristol and was Salutatorian of the class of 1937 at Colt Memorial High School. She was an active communicant of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church for many years, where she belonged to the Holy Rosary Society and did a great deal of work in support of the church’s holiday bazaar.  Returning to work after the birth of her third child, she became secretary to the Bristol Superintendent of Schools, retiring as office manager in 1979.
She enjoyed spending time with friends in her coffee group, the Morning Glories; excelling at Scrabble; visiting her children and friends in Germany, Hawaii, California, and England, in addition to hosting her grandchildren on extended summer visits.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial Tuesday, May 1, 2018 at 10:00 AM in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 141 State Street, Bristol. Burial will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Chestnut Street, Bristol. Visiting hours are respectfully omitted.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Bristol Fourth of July Committee at P.O. Box 561, Bristol, RI 02809.  Memories and condolences can be shared on the web page at www.sansonesfuneralhome.com
 

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