Obituary for Geraldine Odierna (Barbella)
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Geraldine Labrosciano Odierna passed away peacefully in her sleep on March 20, 2022. She had suffered from Parkinson’s and dementia. She was 84.
She was born in the Bronx, NY on April 10, 1937 to Nicola and Maria (DeMaio) Barbella. She attended St. Martin of Tours and St. Thomas Aquinas High School. She married William Labrosciano on September 26, 1954, and moved to Harrison, NY, where she raised her family. He predeceased her in 1976.
She is survived by her loving husband Ralph Odierna, whom she married in 2001, her four cherished daughters and sons-in-law; Rosemarie and Paul Karlebach, Phyllis and Wilfredo Chaluisant, Nancy and Keith Webber, Billie Jo and Tim Froessel; and her adored grandchildren Jordan (Nicole) Webber, Nicole (Mike) Kennedy, Jasmine (Travis) Burdess, Ariel Karlebach, and Christopher, Tommy and Timmy Froessel; and her beloved great grandchildren Spencer and Piper Webber with whom she loved playing. She is also survived by her stepchildren Ralph, Lynne (Karl) Bicknese, and Elizabeth (James) Welsh and step grandchildren Karl, Lauren, James and Joseph. She was predeceased by her brothers Tony, Louie, Teddy, George and her sister Lucille. She is survived by many cousins, nieces and nephews, and dear friends.
In 1963 Geri and Bill became foster parents to two additional daughters, Juana Bonilla and Gloria Gonzalez through Catholic Charities.
Geri, as she was known, served as Eucharistic Minister at St. Gregory the Great in Harrison, NY. At St. Gregory’s she oversaw The Rite of Christian Initiation Adult Program which brought many new parishioners into the Church. She conducted Bereavement Groups and several Bible Studies for many years with her dearest friend, Maria Procaccino. She worked at the Archdiocese of New York in the office of The Society of the Propagation of the Faith under Monsignor Ferdinando Berardi and later followed him to the Church of the Holy Family in New Rochelle, NY as Parish Secretary.
In 2006 she achieved her lifelong goal of attaining her Master’s in Religious Education from the Graduate Theological Foundation at Notre-Dame, Indiana. In total she devoted more than 25 years of being a “good and faithful servant” to the Lord.
Geri was very creative. She taught art at Webster Avenue Nursery School, at Harrison Summer Camps, and for the Camp Fire Girls. She was an active Columbiette for many years. She was known to host myriads of breakfasts, lunches and dinners for the Clergy and lay persons including hosting a New Year’s Eve dinner each year at her home.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, Parkinson’s Foundation, Dementia Society of America, or The Society of the Propagation of the Faith. All were dear to Geri’s heart.
Geraldine Labrosciano Odierna passed away peacefully in her sleep on March 20, 2022. She had suffered from Parkinson’s and dementia. She was 84.
She was born in the Bronx, NY on April 10, 1937 to Nicola and Maria (DeMaio) Barbella. She attended St. Martin of Tours and St. Thomas Aquinas High School. She married William Labrosciano on September 26, 1954, and moved to Harrison, NY, where she raised her family. He predeceased her in 1976.
She is survived by her loving husband Ralph Odierna, whom she married in 2001, her four cherished daughters and sons-in-law; Rosemarie and Paul Karlebach, Phyllis and Wilfredo Chaluisant, Nancy and Keith Webber, Billie Jo and Tim Froessel; and her adored grandchildren Jordan (Nicole) Webber, Nicole (Mike) Kennedy, Jasmine (Travis) Burdess, Ariel Karlebach, and Christopher, Tommy and Timmy Froessel; and her beloved great grandchildren Spencer and Piper Webber with whom she loved playing. She is also survived by her stepchildren Ralph, Lynne (Karl) Bicknese, and Elizabeth (James) Welsh and step grandchildren Karl, Lauren, James and Joseph. She was predeceased by her brothers Tony, Louie, Teddy, George and her sister Lucille. She is survived by many cousins, nieces and nephews, and dear friends.
In 1963 Geri and Bill became foster parents to two additional daughters, Juana Bonilla and Gloria Gonzalez through Catholic Charities.
Geri, as she was known, served as Eucharistic Minister at St. Gregory the Great in Harrison, NY. At St. Gregory’s she oversaw The Rite of Christian Initiation Adult Program which brought many new parishioners into the Church. She conducted Bereavement Groups and several Bible Studies for many years with her dearest friend, Maria Procaccino. She worked at the Archdiocese of New York in the office of The Society of the Propagation of the Faith under Monsignor Ferdinando Berardi and later followed him to the Church of the Holy Family in New Rochelle, NY as Parish Secretary.
In 2006 she achieved her lifelong goal of attaining her Master’s in Religious Education from the Graduate Theological Foundation at Notre-Dame, Indiana. In total she devoted more than 25 years of being a “good and faithful servant” to the Lord.
Geri was very creative. She taught art at Webster Avenue Nursery School, at Harrison Summer Camps, and for the Camp Fire Girls. She was an active Columbiette for many years. She was known to host myriads of breakfasts, lunches and dinners for the Clergy and lay persons including hosting a New Year’s Eve dinner each year at her home.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, Parkinson’s Foundation, Dementia Society of America, or The Society of the Propagation of the Faith. All were dear to Geri’s heart.