Port St. Lucie, FL. — On Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2022, Gloria Crossley Santagata “cut her earthly bounds with her vast family dynasty and flew on angels’ wings to join her beloved husband and deceased relatives in the company of her savior Jesus Christ and his beloved mother, the Virgin Mary,” her family wrote in a tribute. She was 98.

She was born on Jan. 7, 1924 to Irene (née Mullen) and William Crossley in Utica, New York. “At the age of 12, she lost her beloved mother to pneumonia,” her family wrote. “At that time, her Aunt Pansy (Adelaide) stepped in as a mother figure and was a major part of her life.

“She attended local schools and graduated from Whitesboro School. On April 2, 1945, she was joined in marriage with Michael “Sandy” Santagata; theirs was a union full of mutual love and respect for more than 56 years, until his death in 2001.

“Mike and Gloria raised a family of six children and she was like a second mother to their many friends who found 811 Arthur Street to be their second home. She made holidays and birthdays special and her expertise in the kitchen was beyond compare.

“While living in Utica, she was a faithful and devout communicant of Blessed Sacrament Church and active in the Mother’s Club, Rosary Altar Society, their annual Mardi Gras, and volunteered at the school.

“In 1976, they pulled up stakes and left New York for the sunny land of Florida and moved to Port St. Lucie. There, she learned to play golf, helped children to read at St. Anastasia School, and took care of some of her grandchildren.

“She enjoyed reading, playing cards, crossword puzzles, knitting, being with family, hosting visiting relatives, and trips back to New York State. She was a communicant of St. Lucie Church, at one time bringing communion to the sick. She also attended the Grove Church, whose pastor is her grandson, David Hancock, who gave her much peace in her last months. She was also a member of the Order of the Carmelites and served as her branch president for many years. 

“Prayers and the rosary were an important part of her life and her devotion to Jesus and the Blessed Mother was with her for her entire life.

“The family would like to thank Hospice support, Tina who faithfully brought communion, and Father Mark for administering the Sacrament of the Sick.”

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Gloria Crossley Santagata is survived by her six children and their spouses, Pamela and David Fialkoff, and their children Eric, Jason, and Joshua; Michael, and his children Michael, Lana, and Louis; Bonnie Santagata and her children Ronald, Douglas, and Ben; Irene and Frank Scalise and their children Gloria, Renee, and Frank; Laura and John Schwerer and their children David, Chrissy, John, and Angela; Amy and Jeff Covell and their children Jamie, Jennifer, Jeffrey, Joseph, and Jacob.

She also leaves her brother, William Crossley, and his wife, Barbara; her sister, Patricia Toussaint; 21 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. 

Her parents, Irene (née Mullen) and William Crossley, died before her, as did her aunt and uncle, Adelaide and Al Fasoldt; her husband, Michael Santagata; her sisters-in-law, Congetta (Ernest) Zumpano and Marion Santagata; and her brother-in-law, Harold Toussaint.

The funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, Sept. 17, at 11 a.m. at St. Lucie Catholic Church, Port St. Lucie, Florida. Interment will take place in the spring at the convenience of the family in Utica, New York.

Memorial messages may be left at www.altamontenterprise.com/milestones.