Catina Sciaba

Catina Cingari Sciaba passed away peacefully on Monday, January 18, 2010 at Rosenthal Hospice in Stamford, CT surrounded by her family after a valiant battle to overcome complications of a stroke incurred in October 2008. She was 92 years old. Catina was born on November 14, 1917 in Taormina, Italy to the late Salvatore Cingari and Rosa D’Allura Cingari. The family immigrated to America in 1920 when Catina was two and a half years old and she spent her formative years in Stamford, CT. She was apprenticed as a seamstress in Manhattan, commuting there daily from 1934 �" 1937. She married Salvatore V. Sciaba in 1937 and enjoyed an active and loving life with him for nearly 67 years until his passing in 2003. She shared her gifts of sewing and cooking by devoting her life to nurturing her family and friends and hosted countless holidays, celebrations, and dinners at her home. Her husband Sal would often say Catina’s hands were magical and she could make something from nothing. Catina took note of what people enjoyed or admired and would surprise them with a gift of it. She will be remembered for her kindness and generosity in sharing her natural gifts and will be missed by all who knew her.
Catina is survived by her daughter Sandra Rose Sciaba; and her daughter-in-law Susan Sciaba; her sister, Mary Cutugno and her husband Salvatore; her brother Rocco Cingari, and her sister-in-law Christine Cingari; her brother Sam Cingari and his wife Catherine. She is also survived by her grandchildren; Catina Roberts and her husband Jeffrey; Salvatore Sciaba and his fiance’ Sandra Annuzzi, two great-grandchildren; Anthony and Tavian Sciaba, as well as numerous nieces and nephews and great-grand nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents and husband, Catina was predeceased by her son, Anthony V. Sciaba, and her brothers, Joseph Cingari, and Dominick Cingari and his wife Adeline.
The family would like to thank the staff of Brighton Gardens, Smith House, Stamford Hospital, Richard Rosenthal Hospice Center and Retinella Gayle for the loving compassion and care she was given. Also to Dr. Vernetta Gallop and her staff for their wonderful care.
Friends may call at the Nicholas F. Cognetta Funeral Home & Crematory, 104 Myrtle Avenue, Stamford, on Thursday, January 21, 2010 from 4:00 �" 8:00 PM. A funeral procession will be leaving the funeral home at 10:10 AM on Friday, January 22, 2010 and proceed to Our Lady Star of the Sea, 1200 Shippan Avenue, Stamford, where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 AM. Interment will follow at St. John Cemetery in Darien.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations are made in Catina’s name to Visiting Nurse and Hospice Care, 1290 East Main Street, Stamford, CT 06902 or St. Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place Building Memphis, TN 38105. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.cognetta.com