Donovan Funeral Home - Tallmadge
Angelina (Merendino) Papatonis, 85, went home to be with the Lord on Monday, February 21, 2022. She was born in Akron to the late Frank and Santa Merendino. She was a long-time resident of both Cuyahoga Falls and Tallmadge.
Angie had a clever and imaginative sense of humor that endeared her to everyone in her family. She was kind, creative, generous with her time and, in her own words, "sharp as a tack." She graduated from Garfield High School and worked at Woolworth's and Fair Finance. She was married to her loving and devoted husband, Frank, for 61 years. They spent a lot of time together and took an interest in each other's hobbies and pursuits. They enjoyed working on her sewing projects and she became an avid Cleveland sports fan like Frank.
She had three children who loved her dearly, Teresa (Tom) Kozma, Nicholas (Bridget) Papatonis and Michael (Beth) Papatonis. Angie was a wonderful mother, and all her children have treasured memories of their childhoods. She was full of common-sense wisdom which she instilled in them through the years. Their lives would not be nearly so rich and full without her constant love and guidance. Along with her husband and children, Angie is survived by her grandchildren, Alex Papatonis, Elena Kozma, and Mia and Ally Papatonis. She waited a long time before God blessed her with grandchildren, and she cherished every minute with them. Angie and Frank celebrated their milestones and academic achievements. They were front and center at spelling bees, sporting events, musicals and graduations. Her grandchildren adored their grandma and loved spending time with her. She was preceded in death by two infant children, her brother Sam Merendino and her sister Josephine Gergosky. She is survived by her sisters, Jennie Usberghi and Rose Marie Casalinova.
Angie had numerous passions and interests. She loved many types of music and her taste varied widely from The Three Tenors to Martina McBride to The Eagles. Angie always had a beautiful flower garden in her yard, and the house was filled with her lovely silk floral arrangements. She also cultivated herbs both for cooking and making wreaths. She was an accomplished seamstress and quilter, and excelled in knitting, crocheting, needlepoint and cross stich. Angie worked hard to become a National Quilt Association Certified Teacher. She taught quilting classes at Stan Hywet; JoAnn Fabric; and Stitch, Piece 'N Purl. She loved teaching her techniques to students to create their "heirlooms of tomorrow." In addition to many pillows and wall hangings, she spent an entire year creating a hand-sewn, king-size quilt. Angie earned numerous awards competing at the Stan Hywet showcase and various county fairs. Because her stitches were so perfect, several judges commented that they appeared to have been created with a sewing machine. Angie had a life-long love of reading. She educated herself extensively on the Civil War, U.S. presidents and the history of the British monarchy. She became enamored with "the people's princess." She traveled to Virginia with her husband and niece, Angela, to see Princess Diana and Prince Charles during their 1985 visit. She was thrilled to see the princess up close and present her with a floral bouquet.
Her favorite place to vacation was The Great Smoky Mountains near Gatlinburg, where they traveled for more than 30 years. She was happiest when sitting on the condo balcony, gazing at the beautiful landscape she called her "montagnas."
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Our Lady of Victory Church, 73 North Avenue, Tallmadge, OH 44278.
Visitation will be 6:00 until 8:00 pm, Monday, February 28,2022 at the Donovan Funeral Home, 17 Southwest Ave. (On the Historic Tallmadge Circle). Mass of Christian burial will be 11:30 am, Tuesday, March 1, 2022 at Our Lady of Victory Church, 73 North Ave with Rev. Michael Matusz officiating. Burial at Holy Cross Cemetery will take place immediately after the service. The Funeral Mass will be livestreamed on Our Lady of Victory's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ourladyofvictorychurchtallmadge/. You are kindly asked to wear a mask when in close proximity to others in Church until further notice. Thank you for your cooperation.
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