Theresa M. Merlini

 Theresa Marie (DiEleuterio) Merlini, age 90, passed away peacefully at St. Francis Hospital on Feb. 3, 2016, surrounded by immediate family.

     Theresa was born in Wilmington on October 13, 1925 to the late Concetta (Rapagnani) and Giovanni DiEleuterio. She graduated from Wilmington High School in 1943, where she excelled in academics and athletics. She earned a “winged foot” and her red and white letter “W” for her many accomplishments in track.

      After graduating, she attended Goldey Beacom School of Business, and she was employed at Bellanca Aircraft. In 1945, she married Robert Louis Merlini, and they raised three children: Carol Jane, Roberta (Robin), and Robert, Jr.

     While she raised her family, Theresa was in constant demand as a referee for local high school and college basketball games. She enjoyed her outings as a Girl Scout leader as well as cooking for her family. Her specialty was Italian Abruzzese cuisine. In addition to speaking the Abruzzese dialect, she could read and write the modern Italian language. And she loved to dance!

     In addition to her parents, Theresa was preceded in death by her loving husband Robert, a well-know local jazz guitarist and teacher, who passed in 2000. Siblings Albert, Henry, Michael, and Paul DiEleuterio, Elvira Ferretti, Catherine Cirillo, and Marguerite Tango also predeceased her. She is survived by her sister Ida Fioravanti.

     Theresa will be dearly missed by her loving daughters, Carol Jane Merlini (and her companion Joseph Coy of Pescara, Italy); Roberta (Robin) Newitt (and her  husband Terry of Wilmington); and her son Robert A. Merlini (and his wife Wendy), also of Wilmington; also, her granddaughters Alison P. Hilley (and her husband Ryan) of Philadelphia, Pa.; Angela Hartman of Wilmington; grandson James (Jamie) Newitt of Boynton Beach, Florida. She is also survived by numerous loving nieces, nephews, and cousins.

     A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Wilmington on Thursday, February 11, at noon. Visitation will be held before the Mass at St. Anthony of Padua, beginning at 10:00 a.m. Internment will be held on Friday, February 12, at the Delaware Veterans’ Cemetery in Bear, Delaware at 11 a.m., when she will be buried beside her husband Robert.

 In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Anthony of Padua Church and/or the Ministry of Caring