Fortified with the Sacraments of Holy Mother Church, Monday, March 2nd at age 102.
Beloved wife of late David DeClue and the late Ernesto Puricelli; loving mother of Dillia (Robert) Dunigan and Ronald (Jean) Puricelli, loving step-mother of David (Barbara) DeClue; dear grandmother of Kelly (Carl) Imo, Kara (Gary) Funk, Michael (Ellie) Puricelli; dear great-grandmother of Emily, Samuel, Allyson, Joseph, Rita and Leo. Dear aunt, cousin and friend to many.
Tullia Elvatsia Vermicelli Puricelli DeClue was born October 1st, 1923, in Cesena, Italy. She was the youngest of 8 children born to Lucia Bondinnini and Egisto Aurelio Vermicelli. Her father was the business owner of a successful building company and built homes which still stand today in the municipality of Emilia-Romagna. The Fascist regime of Mussolini threatened Egisto and their livelihood, which resulted in the family fleeing to Paris, France when Tullia was just months old. Her childhood was happy until World War II brought the German occupation of Paris. It was during the invasion of Normandy in 1944 that Tullia met Ernesto in Aumeville-Lestre, France when he landed as part of the American liberation forces. They fell immediately in love, wed and welcomed Dillia, their daughter, into the world. In early 1946, Tullia and Dillia reunited with Ernesto at Union Station in St. Louis where they settled in the Italian community of The Hill. Their second child, Ronald, arrived in 1948 and their little family enjoyed a life of laughter and joy until sadly Ernest passed away in 1960. Dillia and Ronald were only 14 and 12, leaving Tullia to raise them on her own. She worked as a single mother until her children were adults and on their own. In 1972, she married David DeClue and together they traveled the entire United States, enjoyed a big circle of friends and became doting grandparents. They had a wonderful life together with their family until Dave passed in 2000.
Tullia loved to crochet, knit and sew. She made clothes for her children and grandchildren, including First Communion dresses, high school dance dresses, baby clothes, crocheted blankets, quilts, slippers, potholders and anything else we wanted. Tullia loved being a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother more than anything else in the world.
Tullia was an extremely strong woman who overcame many hardships in her life. Her independence was important to her and she lived in her home alone until she passed.
Tullia was one of a kind and her humor and her feistiness will be dearly missed.
Services: Visitation at Kutis Affton Chapel 10151 Gravois, Monday March 9th 11:00 AM until service at 1:00 PM. Private interment Resurrection Cemetery. Memorials to Missouri Botanical Garden https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/ or Ronald McDonald House https://rmhcstl.org/ appreciated.
We are so sorry for your loss. 🙏🙏
Dilla and Bob
So sorry for your loss
Love,
Mike and Carol
Tullia was a wonderful presence during my growing up. She always had a strong opinion on any subject. She was also amazingly tolerant of a whole group of crazy teenage boys, myself being one of them.. We always loved her, even when we knew to stay out of her way. I will never forget you Tullia. Love, Darrell
I have known Tullia since my sister married her son, Ron. I then became part of an amazing extended family. She and I would have very thoughtful conversations at family gatherings, especially about living in France during the Nazi occupation. She was always kind to me, just like a second mother. I will miss her every day. Her life story could become a movie from her family fleeing Italy to France, to living under Nazi occupation, to being at Normandy during the invasion, to meeting her future husband who was an Italian American soldier, to coming to the States as a war bride, raising two children and remarrying after the death of her first husband.
To the Puricelli and DeClue families
So sorry for your loss of this wonderful lady. She was strong and independent and always ready to share her thoughts and her home. She will be missed.
We sorry for your loss.
Donna (Consolino) Massow
Barbara (Consolino) Clover
We are so very sorry for your loss. Even though we didn’t have the chance to meet her, we feel like we got to know a part of her through the wonderful stories Sammy and Emily have shared. What an incredible life she lived – full of love, strength, and adventure, touching so many hearts along the way. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. With love, The Butera’s
Dillia and Rob, we are thinking of Tullia and all of you @ this time. It was always fun to see her @ family get togethers through the years. My fondest memories of her were when we used to run into each other shopping @ Dierbergs. It was at the time of Kara and Gary starting their family, and it was fun & heartwarming to hear her talk about their boys, and all her g’children💞She was always a lil’ spitfire, but she kind of had to be, with what she went through in her earlier life. She was a strong woman! with a spirit that was admirable and she always made us smile💞 love, Chris & Julie
Tulia was our last surviving aunt. We’re sorry that we weren’t able to get to know her better.
Donna and Barbara Consolino
Kathy and I are very sorry to hear about Tulia. We know how much she meant to you and your family. I for one will never forget her feistiness with me when she would visit you; I enjoyed her humor. She was also very nice to our girls especially her connection with Julia. And when Tony was born how she was so happy for us.
Kathy and I will keep you, your family and Tulia in our prayers.🙏🙏🙏