Obituary of Mary A. LaMantia

Mary Alvina Kappenberg LaMantia Born: October 12, 1923, To Heaven: January 21, 2017 Mary Alvina was 93 years old at her passing. She was born on the Lower East Side of Manhattan to her parents Catherine Doyle Kappenberg and Otto Kappenberg, each who had been widowed and left during depression times alone with children. Catherine and Otto met working at Uneeda Biscuit Company, married, and together had one child Mary. She grew up with her step brothers Joey and Charlie. Mary attended Most Holy Redeemer School and graduated from Washington Irving High School. She loved the Nuns from her school/church and spent a great deal of time with them. She experienced loss as a young girl when her beloved brother Charlie did not return home from World War II. As a young girl she worked in the garment industry as an administrative assistant. She married her teenage sweetheart, Salvatore LaMantia, on October 5th, 1947 and together they had three children: Peter Joseph, Anne Marie, and Catherine May. They moved from their lower east side neighborhood early in their marriage to Bayside, Queens ("the country"). Mary remained in Queens for more than 55 years. She and Sal were married 4 days short of 50 years when he passed in 1997. Mary was a vibrant member of an Assisted Living Community for the past 6 years. Mary was a hard working person, dedicated to her family. She cared for them while working outside of the home for many years. She always was one to help a person in need, even with limited means. She took care of her ailing parents, Salvatore's parents, other elderly family members, her children, and in one form or another each of her 8 grandchildren. She helped everyone in her apartment building in Bayside where she lived for many years, as well as her community members at Somerset Gardens Assisted Living Facility. While Mary's body began to decline in recent months, she had all of her mental capacities until her last days. She was an amazingly strong and fiercely independent woman. She is survived by her son, Peter, her daughter, Catherine; her daughter and son-in-laws: Debby, Eric and David, who she loved as her own children: her grandchildren: Peter and his wife Rachel, Rachel and her husband Peter, Jonathan and his wife Nicole, Matthew, Sarah and her husband Ryan, Alexandra, Madeline and Sophia. She was also a great grandmother to: Ryan, Jack, Jake, Grace and Sally. Mary prematurely lost her beautiful daughter Anne on January 10th, 2015. We know she is rejoicing with her, Sal, and many other family and friends in heaven!