Obituary of Jennie Covella

Jennie (Pantalione) Covella, of Vineland, died peacefully on Sunday, July 26, at Bishop McCarthy Residence, marking the end of a wonderfully fulfilling, 98-year life on earth and, with her passing, the beginning of a new perpetual life with her family and friends under God's loving care in Heaven. Jennie was born in 1917, the third of five children, to Giuseppe and Maria Giovanni (DiMaria) Pantalione. With her parents and siblings, the family built their home on Genoa Avenue in East Vineland where they farmed the land for more than 40 years. When a fire leveled their home circa 1930, the family was forced to live temporarily in the "potato house" - a barn on the property. But with the support of friends and neighbors in the close-knit East Vineland area, they rebuilt the home which today remains in family hands. She married the love of her life, Italian immigrant and US Army veteran Pietro "Pete" Covella and, along with their two sons, Peter and Gerald, resided in the South Vineland area since 1952. Jennie and Pete celebrated more than 40 years of marriage until Pete's death in October of 1986. Jennie was formerly employed as a seamstress for 16 years with Top-O-Mart Clothes, INC. then later Barkan Products before assuming a management position in the sewing department at the Vineland Developmental Center's Almond Road campus. In her retirement years, Jennie enjoyed cooking, traveling, but especially spending time with her family and close friends - particularly Martha Strittmatter - while serving as a member of the Legion of Mary at St. Isidore's Church in Vineland and a Eucharistic Minister for shut-ins. But, most of all, it was the special time spent with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren that brightened the golden years of her life. She is predeceased by her parents, her husband, her brothers, Michael and Joseph; sisters Mary (Pantalione) DiDomenico and Grace Pantalione; nephews Ronald and Daniel DiDomenico, Frank Pantalione and niece GraceAnn (DiDomenico) Julia. Jennie is survived by her sons and daughters-in-law Peter and Lillian (Zorn) Covella of Stamford, CT and Gerald and Deanne (Whitson) Covella of Vineland,; grandchildren Christie Hamlet and husband Bryan, Maria Covella and Rocco Zambino, Kathryn Covella, Nicole Covella and Caitlyn Covella and three great-grandchildren, Colt and Mila Hamlet and Margaret Jayden (MJ) Zambino. She is also survived by nieces and nephews Joanne (Pantalione) Fussell and husband Harry, Joseph Pantalione and wife Sandra, Anna (Pantalione) McDonald and husband Dennis, Michael Pantalione and wife Theresa, Marguerite (Glogau) and husband Eric, and Ronald Pantalione and wife Stella, their children and grandchildren. Viewing and Rite of Christian Burial will be held at Christ the Good Shepherd Parish, St. Isidore's Church in Vineland on _________________. Burial at Sacred Heart Cemetery, Vineland.