Eva Magdalena Erna Handwerk Spezio
NEW YORK CITY - Eva Magdalena Erna Spezio (née Handwerk), February 1, 1936 – September 27, 2023, was born in Germany, grew up during World War II, emigrated to the US in 1965, lived with her family in Montgomery, Ellenville, and Middletown, and died at age 87 early on a Wednesday morning at Ozanam Hall in Bayside, Queens, New York City. The cause of death was congestive heart failure exacerbated by post-COVID complications from a COVID infection that began while she was a patient at Queens Presbyterian Hospital in July and August.
She is survived by her son Stefan Wilhelm Spezio, his wife Annie Mazes, and their daughter Cora Eve Madelyn Spezio (Woodhaven, NY); her daughter Christina Eva Urbaniak and Christina’s husband Steven Urbaniak (Virginia), and Christina’s daughter Emily Eva Dee Rosenberg (Lowman, NY); and her son Michael Spezio and his wife Teresa Sabol Spezio (Pomona, CA). Eva was preceded in death by her beloved partner of many years, Donald C. Vandermark, by her brother Klaus Handwerk, by her parents Wilhelm and Martha Handwerk (née Feller), and by her first husband Lawrence Robert Spezio. Eva was a very loving and beloved wife, partner, “Mutti”, and “Omi”, and her presence brought joy, laughter and bright fun into our lives. She is sorely missed by us all. We happily remember her through the stories she told of her childhood, and also for her lengthy and dedicated years working as a nurse.
During the last 18 months of her life, she made a new home and new friends at the Boulevard ALP in Flushing, NY, only minutes from Stefan, Annie, and Cora. There, she continued being her sunny self, making people feel happy, and helping any neighbor who needed a little extra sunshine. Eva loved living at the Boulevard and being close to her beloved family, especially for birthdays and holidays. All through her life, and even though she lived through and remembered many terrible experiences of war and violence, she kept her eyes on the good in people, and she kept hope for each bright new day, trusting faithfully in God’s care for all. May her memory be a blessing, as it continues to be for us.