Mariann J. Di Paolo | September 7, 1927 - December 7, 2021
Obituaries-Pierre / Posted Jan 11, 2022 | 5:42 AM / 266 views
Mariann (Mary) J. DiPaolo, age 94, died on Tuesday, December 7, 2021 at
Avera-Maryhouse in Pierre, SD, with daughter Terry by her side. A Celebration of her life will be held at 2:00pm, Monday, January 17, 2022 at Feigum Funeral Home. Her service may also be viewed live in the video window below:
Mariann was born on September 7, 1927 in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania to Domenick Del Gesse and Rosella Gravinese Del Gesse and was the eldest of three children. Mary had a career as a hairdresser and manicurist and developed a love of needlework, drawing, reading and playing bingo. Mary met James (Jim) DiPaolo and after a courtship, they were married on April 28, 1951 and would go on to have three children, James (Jim), Peter (Pete), and Teresa (Terry). Mary would eventually leave her home state of Pennsylvania to be close to Terry and made South Dakota her home until she passed.
Mary is fondly remembered as a spunky, Italian lady who wasn’t scared to share her opinion. She was fondly called the social butterfly at Maryhouse as she would greet the people who worked and visited there. She fought a long battle with vascular dementia. The Maryhouse staff became second family to Mary as well as Terry.
Mary leaves behind her three children, Jim (Christine) DiPaolo, Pete (Carolyn) DiPaolo, Terry (Les) Cummings; 14 grandchildren, Donald (Tami) Culp, Tara (Ryan) Wychkoff, Stephanie (Ru) McDonald, Jimmy (Tamra) DiPaolo, Katie DiPaolo, Tori (Christopher) Richmond, Michele (Michael) Ellis, Teresa Gunn, Billy Leonard, Domenick (Tiffany) DiPaolo, Vincent Di Paolo (grand angel), Jacob Cummings, Heather (Kerry) Van Hunnick, Kyle (Kaitlin) Cummings; 28 great grandchildren; Alexis and Brianna Culp, Brandon and Kole Janda, Savannah and Liam Wychoff, Meaghan, Meredith, and Makayla McDonald, Teagan and Jimmy DiPaolo, Michael (Nicole) Ellis, Sissy (Rickie) Clark, Jimmy (Megan) Ellis, Ashlyn Gunn, Zac Clausen and Alexia Leonard, Brandon Goodroe, Catherine, Anna, April, Bryston (great grand angel), Christopher, Aleesa, Norah and Vincent DiPaolo, Kennedy, Kendall and Kimber Cummings; 5 great, great grandchildren; Ava and Nova Firman, Scarlett McDonald, Milo and Sutton Ellis. Mary is preceded in death by her parents, two sisters and her husband.
A Celebration of Life ceremony will be held on Monday, January 17, 2022 at 2:00pm at Feigum Funeral Home, 808 West Pleasant Drive, Pierre. Mary will be laid to rest with Jim in Pennsylvania at a later date to be announced. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Mary’s name to the Avera-Maryhouse Memory Care Unit, Avera-Maryhouse or a charity of your choice.
