Toni Ann Cilia (nee Maiorano), of Lewes, DE, formerly of Wilmington, DE, went home to be with our Lord on January 6th, 2024. Toni Ann passed away peacefully on the Feast of the Epiphany, surrounded by immediate family and incredible medical care at the Jefferson Hospital of Neuroscience in Philadelphia, PA.
A proud graduate of St. Anthony’s Grade School in 1967 and Padua Academy in 1971, Toni Ann was a faithful and integral participant in all things in Wilmington’s Little Italy and St. Anthony’s Parish, including annual festivals and events for the majority of her formative and adult years, even holding a paid position in the parish rectory as a teenager.
In the early 1970’s, Toni Ann began a career at the DuPont company, which lasted until 2012, when she retired after decades of loyalty to both her work and the relationships she built during her employment.
Toni Ann’s many hobbies and community involvement included, but were not limited to: ceramics, counted cross-stitch, supporting her kids’ extra curricular and professional endeavors, serving on several committees at church, and loving and singing all kinds of music.
Toni Ann really knew how to run a show … as an expert director, stage manager, actor, and audience member – both in the theater and in life. She cherished her times on Stage Left and behind the scenes during Nutcracker and other benefit performances with the Anna Marie Dance Studio, watching her husband, daughters, nieces and nephews dance their hearts out.
And in life, Toni Ann really knew how to keep things going. Her beautiful smile, energy, and personality always made others feel comfortable. She never met a stranger, and never went to a new place without making a friend. Toni Ann was a woman of unwavering faith and unconditional love. The time spent with her family, especially her grandchildren, was always cherished, especially playing in the sand at the beach, singing and dancing around the house, or having everyone over to celebrate special occasions. She was always ready to play a board game, chat on the phone, or assist her husband, Joe, in any number of home improvement projects.
Toni Ann is survived by her husband Joe, brother Giovanni (Paula), daughters Lisa (Louis) and Laura, 2 grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her father Andrew, mother Mae, and sister Johanna (Scarpitti).
A visitation will be held on Thursday, January 11 from 6:00-8:00 pm at the McCrery & Harra Funeral Homes, 3924 Concord Pike, Wilmington, DE. Additional parking is available at the far corner, behind the YMCA, 7 Mt. Lebanon Rd, Wilmington, DE. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, January 12 at ,11:00 am at, Church of the Holy Child, 2500 Naamans Road, Wilmington, DE. Burial will follow at Cathedral Cemetery, 2400 Lancaster Ave. Wilmington, DE 19805.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a contribution to the following: Archmere Academy. Memo Line: Performing Arts Campaign, 3600 Philadelphia Pike, Claymont, DE 19703; St. Jude the Apostle Church, 152 Tulip Drive, Lewes DE, 19958 or Church of the Holy Child, 2500 Naamans Road, Wilmington, DE 19810.
For online condolences visit: www.mccreryandharra.com
