Betty Jean Sabetti Pontillo Coccarelli

Betty Jean Sabetti Pontillo Coccarelli

Betty Jean Sabetti Pontillo Coccarelli, age 81, passed away Saturday, February 9, 2013, surrounded by her family. Betty was born December 23, 1931, in Erie, the daughter of the late Antonio and Chiarina DeNardo Sabetti.

A lifelong Erie resident, she was a longtime member of St. Stephen of Hungary Roman Catholic Church and also attended St. Paul Roman Catholic Church on occasions. She was an auxiliary member of the Legion of Mary at St. Paul's Church.

Betty enjoyed singing and also cooking and baking, ensuring that none of her visitors went home hungry. She also enjoyed music, especially hearing her children sing, and listened to the Italian Hour on the radio each Sunday.

She worked several cooking-related jobs, working at Staganelli's and at Fergie's. She also worked for the Erie School District for 10 years until her retirement. Betty was a generous and happy woman. She made friends wherever she went and always was most at peace when she was with her family.

Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband, Pasquale Pontillo, whom she married April 15, 1950; three brothers, John "Jack" Sabetti, Amerigo "Ham" Sabetti and Joseph "Benny" Sabetti; and five sisters, Rose DeGeorge, Anna Lisa Salzello, Viola Sambuchino, Antoinette "Toni" Baldi and Mary Santone.

Betty is survived by five sons, Thomas A. Pontillo Sr. and his wife, Paula; Angelo M. Pontillo Sr. and his wife, Kimberly; Ralph J. Pontillo and his wife, Dana; Pasquale V. Pontillo and his wife, Denise; Mario F. Pontillo and his wife, Mary. She is also survived by one daughter, Cheryl Ann Mele and her husband, Alan. She is further survived by 14 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and friends.

Friends are invited to call at the John R. Orlando Funeral Home, Inc., 2122 Raspberry Street, on Tuesday from 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. and may attend a Funeral Mass on Wednesday at Saint Paul RC Church, 1617 Walnut Street, at 9:30 a.m. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Down Syndrome Group of Erie, P.O. Box 946, Erie, Pa., 16506, or the American Diabetes Association.