Judiann "Jude" DeBella

NEW HARTFORD - Judiann “Jude” DeBella, age 53, passed away on Saturday, September 23, 2017 with her loving family at her side. She was welcomed into the gates of heaven with great celebration, reuniting with family and friends. She was born on August 17, 1964 in Utica, New York, the beloved daughter of James A. DeBella, Sr. and Angela (Nole) DeBella. She attended St. Peter’s Elementary School and John F. Kennedy High School. She began her career working for General Electric, receiving recognition for her work and dedication to the Micro-Electronics Program. She then changed career paths working in the culinary field for many area restaurants for over 20 years, also earning recognition in the Observer-Dispatch newspaper with highlights including The Chef’s Corner, Thursday Nite Specialty Dishes, and Restaurant Openings. Judiann was always open to new challenges, and after many years in the food industry she continued on to a career in security. She worked for local security agencies, a job she respected and was extremely dedicated to. Judiann was a woman of great conviction; she was passionate about her views and never backed down from what she believed in. She spent most of her life documenting and exercising her right to be heard on many platforms, especially on behalf of hardworking middle class people. She was never influenced by taking the easy road; hers was always the road less traveled because she figured it was a challenge. Throughout Judiann’s life, she took the time to build and nurture friendships that were the very foundation of her life. Her friends in turn gave her something more valuable; it was their friendship and love which sustained her. She enjoyed sharing time with family throughout the years, especially with her nephews and nieces who she adored and cherished. She enjoyed tracing family genealogy and was curious about her beginnings as she felt that’s what defined her. Judiann’s greatest passion in life was writing. She had a style all her own and an imagination that allowed her to write books, poems, and songs. It was her way of expressing her inner person which she hid behind the ink of her pen. She enjoyed music and was an avid concert goer attending the second Woodstock Music Festival. She found an escape from the everyday routine through playing the piano and painting. She was also a loyal Bouckville Antique collector, carefully searching for the perfect treasure, especially any addition to her Popeye collection. She was fascinated by the Civil War period and Gone With the Wind was a particularly reflective movie for her. She was inspired to live by the lines spoken by Scarlett O’Hara, “After all, tomorrow is another day”. Judiann is survived by her mother, Angela (Nole) DeBella; her father, James A. DeBella, Sr. (Sharon); sisters and in-laws, Bonnie Tringo-Sanchez (José), Elizabeth Tringo DeBella (Lisa), Jamie DeBella Valenzi (Vaughn); nephews and nieces, Vincent Sardino (Christie), Tiffany Sardino Lupia (Michael), Vito Nicolino Valenzi, Charlotte Lupia, Carmine Lupia and Roman Sardino; aunts and uncles, Carmela Melchiore, Victor and Carol Caprara, Anthony and Shirley DeBella, and Martin DeBella; special friends, Becca, Dawn, and Mary Agnes; many cherished family members and friends, too numerous to mention, including the Nole, Graziadei, Fanelli, and Tringo families. She was predeceased by her maternal grandparents, Nicholas and Angeline Nole; paternal grandparents, James F. DeBella and Helen Lula; brother, James A. DeBella Jr.; uncle and godmother, Victor and Margaret Nole; and a very special cousin, Christopher Caprara. Judiann’s family would like to thank the entire staff of the Heritage Health Care Center, especially nurses Alice, Ruby, Sheena, and Cotton for the kindness and compassion shown to Judiann and her family during this difficult time; they were truly angels on earth. Visitation will be held Tuesday from 4:00-7:00 at the Eannace Funeral Home, Inc., 932 South St., corner of Hammond Ave. The family will remain until all visitors have been seen. Judiann’s funeral service and Celebration of Life will commence on Wednesday morning at 10:00 at Historic Old St. John’s Church where her Mass of Christian Burial will be offered by Rev. John Buehler. Interment will follow in Calvary Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations in Judiann’s memory may be made to Historic Old St. John’s Church Food Pantry online at https://historicoldstjohnschurch.weshareonline.org or St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital online at https://www.stjude.org; envelopes will be available at the funeral home. “If I leave here tomorrow, would you still remember me? Cause I’m as free as a bird now and this bird you cannot change”. —- Lynyrd Skynyrd

Judiann "Jude" DeBella

August 17, 1964 - September 23, 2017