Obituary of Phyllis A. DeLuca

Phyllis (Buccini) DeLuca, age 70, of Cheshire died on Saturday, August 25, 2018 at Yale-New Haven Hospital.  She was the loving wife of Richard DeLuca for 48 years.  Phyllis was born in Waterbury, the daughter of the late James and Phyllis (Apicella) Buccini.

Phyllis taught for 30 years in the Cheshire Public School System, beginning her career as a third grade teacher at Darcy Elementary School in 1969, and later moving to California where she worked as a Special Education Teacher in the South San Francisco school system for 13 years, receiving an award of excellence for her service there.  Moving back to Connecticut in 1998, Phyllis continued her teaching career in Cheshire, working with Special Education students at Dodd Middle School and Cheshire High School until her retirement in 2009. Phyllis and Richard enjoyed traveling, and in their younger days were seasoned campers, visiting many of the National Parks across the country.  Phyllis was a former Eucharistic Minister at St. Thomas Becket Church, and was also a lifelong learner interested in opera, religion and health.  In her retirement, Phyllis was an avid walker who particularly enjoyed walking the Farmington Canal Trail in Cheshire. 

Phyllis is survived by her husband Richard, her nieces Jacqueline Buccini of Wallingford and Renee Bonetti of Oxford, her sister-in-law, Ruth Buccini of Oxford, her uncle, Edward Apicella of Waterbury, and her aunt, Jennie Giattino also of Waterbury. Phyllis was predeceased by her brother, Alexander Buccini of Oxford.

Friends may console the family at the Alderson-Ford Funeral Home of Cheshire, 615 So. Main Street, Cheshire, CT 06410 on Wednesday, August 29, 2018 from 3PM until 7PM.  On Thursday, August 30, 2018 her funeral procession will leave the funeral home at 9:15AM for a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at 10AM in St. Thomas Becket Church, 435 No. Brooksvale Rd., Cheshire.  A Committal Service and Burial of Phyllis’ ashes will be held on Thursday, September 6, 2018 at 10AM in St. Bridget Cemetery, Higgins Road, Cheshire.  Memorial contributions may be made to St. Bridget School, 171 Main Street, Cheshire, CT 06410.  To leave online condolences for her family or to share a story of Phyllis, please visit www.fordfh.com