Pitruzzello, Ann Rita (LaBella)

Ann LaBella Pitruzzello passed away peacefully in Seattle WA on April 1, 2021 at age 97. She was born in Middletown CT in 1924, the ninth of ten children born to Paolo and Paulina (Buccheri) LaBella, who emigrated to Middletown from Melilli and Priolo Sicily in the early 1900s. Ann lived a long, healthy, wonderful life. She met Philip Pitruzzello, her husband of 72 years who passed away in 2017, at the Middletown bowling alley when she was age 15. Ann and Phil loved opera and jazz, volunteered to help those less fortunate, raised money for educational scholarships and were life-long Democrats. Ann told many stories of growing up on High Street. She remembered the town ice man, the man who sold live chickens door-to-door, the huge family garden, life with five sisters and four brothers, the great Labor Day hurricane of 1938, rationing food and supplies and, during WWII, black out curtains and working at New Departure for the war effort. At age 5, Ann's mother taught her to sew and she never stopped sewing. As a newlywed, she worked in a dress shop and later made her children's clothes, ball gowns for herself, quilts for the grandchildren, and recently, sewed over 1000 dresses for the global initiative, Dress a Girl Around the World. Ann is survived by her son, Philip Pitruzzello (NYC), daughter, Janice Sabin, and son-in-law Jack (Vashon WA), grandson Michael Sabin (Angelique), granddaughter Laura Sabin Lopez, granddaughter Holly Sabin (Brent), and four great grandchildren, William, Charlotte, Jack and Birdie, all of whom live in the Seattle area. Mom/Grandma Ann, you will be missed. Condolences can be shared at vincenza1917@gmail.com