Delia Nicoletti Bellarosa of Walden, NY gently and peacefully passed away with her loving family by her side at our home in Saugerties, NY on February 15, 2022. She was 101 years old. The daughter of the late Sam and Nona Nicoletti, she was born January 3, 1921, in Newburgh, NY. She was the widow of Michael Bellarosa.
A retired French and English teacher with the Wallkill Central School District, Delia was the oldest living graduate of Mount St Mary’s Academy and Valedictorian of the Class of 1939. She earned a scholarship to study languages at Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, CT and graduated with a degree in Romance languages before earning her Masters Degree in Education from Columbia University.
As a civilian employee during World War II, Delia lived and worked in Arlington, VA serving as a cryptanalytic aide intercepting Japanese messages and breaking the Japanese code for translators. After the war she traveled to Italy on the Andria Doria and danced with the Captain of the ship. While in Italy she helped with an American initiative to rebuild Europe translating mail for the Marshall Plan. From there she went to France to work as a secretary to the Chief of Design for the Joint Construction Company/NATO to rebuild schools and hospitals in Europe. After her retirement as a teacher, she worked as a teaching assistant at Valley Central in the computer lab, and served as the Tour Director for the Huguenot Historical Society’s Old Stone Houses in New Paltz. She was a HOSPICE volunteer and a member of the Walden Sunshine Society.
In her 101 years Delia embraced the good in life including becoming a first-time grandmother at the age of 91. She not only maintained her love for travel throughout her life but also showed her love for everything about life – especially nature. An avid gardener, there wasn’t a plant she could not bring back to life nor a wounded animal she would not try to rescue. She had little need for money or material possessions and believed simply that there is good to be done and love to be given. In her final years she hoped that the world would someday discover the peace that comes in learning to understand one another.
Delia is survived by her son Michael Bellarosa and his wife Christine and her loving grandchildren Ciara and Sean of Saugerties, NY and her son Sam Bellarosa and Reneigh Gisseman of Huntsville, Utah, a step daughter, Catherine Schadt of Kiamesha Lake, NY as well as numerous loving nieces and nephews whom she treasured very much. She is pre deceased by her sister Jennie Gordon of Newburgh.
Visitation will be on Monday, February 21, 2022 from 2-4pm and 6-8pm at Gridley Horan Funeral Home in Walden. A Mass of Christian burial will be Tuesday, February 22 2022 at 11:00am at Most Precious Blood Church, Walnut Street, Walden, NY.
Burial will be in St Mary’s Cemetery in Montgomery, NY.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Delia Nicoletti Bellarosa ’39 Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund at Mount Saint Mary College and may be mailed to the Office of Vice President for Advancement, Mount St Mary College, 330 Powell Ave., Newburgh NY. 12550. This scholarship supports local area high school students in pursuing their educational dreams.
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