Irene D. Ciciulla

Irene D. Ciciulla
December 24th, 1930 – December 31st, 2021

Irene went to be with her Lord & Savior, at the age of 91, on December 31st, 2021. She left this earthly abode peacefully, while in the comfort of her home.

Irene was born in Brooklyn, New York on Christmas Eve in 1930 to parents Philip & Mary. She grew up in Glendale, Queens among the German immigrant community. She met her would be husband, Joseph Ciciulla, while on a double date, however she was set-up with another gentleman & Joe with another lady. The original pairing was not meant to be, as both Irene & Joe sparked a magic between them that would last over 61 years! Their courtship lasted about two years, until they were married in 1950. They lived in an apartment in Queens for ten years, having two children during that time span, Philip & Karen. They eventually all moved into their own home in Levittown, New York in 1960, where Irene & Joe would remain until 1993.

Irene was a trailblazer in the early years of women seeking full-time careers in the 1960's. She was a professional secretary for over 30 years, mainly in the field of precision instruments made for the oil & gas industry. She was always determined to learn new skills & to directly apply her knowledge, as much as she was faithfully dedicated to her children & family. She made it her priority to send both of her children to a private Lutheran school & to do so she worked full-time allowing the household two-incomes. She continued to enjoy her career long after her children graduated & was heavily involved in the Professional Secretaries International organization for over 15 years, serving as a leader in her chapter & traveling frequently to attend events sponsored by the organization. She retired from full-time work in 1993, when she moved to Colorado with Joe to be closer to her family that lived there. However, ever the dedicated worker & constant learner, she continued to work part-time, in various roles, until 2009.

When Joe passed away in 2011, Irene went to live with her daughter, Karen & son-in-law, Joseph until her passing in 2021. She enjoyed being with her loving family & the ability to spend time in daily conversations.

Irene enjoyed gardening, sewing, as well as keeping fit with daily walking & exercise & in her later years, she enjoyed reading extensively, crosswords & puzzles & she always engaged in her daily devotions & prayer right up until the day she was called home.

Irene was always a good host & loved to entertain family & friends. Family & her Lutheran faith was everything to her & she built her life around service to others & to the Lord. She was fondly remembered by her grandchildren as "Grandma Juicy Gum" because she always had chewing gum for her grandkids during their adolescence when visiting her home.

She was a gentle soul, with an open, non-judgmental heart & was a phenomenal listener. One could speak for hours about anything to her & she would allow you the space & kindness to unburden yourself & receive her kind words of support in return & mostly what she would term her offering to be, "when you need a sounding board." She was always inquisitive and was genuinely interested in other people & their lives & would want to hear as many details as one wanted to share. She had a gift to make the person who was speaking to her feel like they were the most important person in the world. Her sympathetic, generous & charitable spirit was a light unto all & she will be truly missed!

Irene is survived by her daughter & son-in-law, Karen & Joseph. She is also survived by her four grandchildren, Tara, Jennifer, April & Dawn & six great-grandchildren, Ariana, Conrad, Jane, Abigail, Jillian & Justin. She is preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Ciciulla, her son, Philip J. Ciciulla, her two sisters, Marilyn & Phyllis & her parents, Philip & Mary Elflein.

Private services to be held. Final resting place is Fort Logan National Cemetery, where she will be interred with her husband, Joseph L. Ciciulla.