Loretta Aydelotte

The language was stuffy, but when the Haddonfield Commissioners honored Loretta Aydelotte with a proclamation on her 100th birthday three years ago, they noted that being a centenarian was a gift to the borough, lending it the gravitas of someone whose breadth of experience was an invaluable asset.

That gravitas went back to World War II and Loretta’s historic service as a WAC (Women’s Army Corp). An American Legion member, the Cherry Hill resident earned the American Service Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.

“She was very proud of her service in the Army and took great pride in being one of the first group of women to serve,” said Loretta’s grandson Daniel. “She was very patriotic.”

While the war may have shaped young women like Loretta, she in turn shaped others as a Girl Scout leader, as Alexandra Ranieri-Deniken noted in an online tribute.

“She was an amazing influence on my life,” Ranieri-Deniken wrote of Loretta, “and the reason I’m a Girl Scout leader now.”

“Every year she would run the (Scout) cookie drive,” Daniel recounted. “I remember her garage and basement full to the ceiling with boxes of cookies.” 

Andrew Lardieri knew Loretta as what he called the “best babysitter on the face of the earth!”

“I still have fond memories,” he wrote online, “of sitting on my computer with her and playing games and reading many memorable stories together.”

Armed with a positive outlook, Loretta spent three more years lending dignity to her community, passing away at 102. Those who knew her would likely agree all of her years were a gift.   

Sources: Schetter Funeral Home, Legacy.com

Christopher “Chris” Wells

Chris Wells was all of 36 when he died last month, but if his impact on others is any measure, he packed a lot into his short life.

A native of Burlington County, Chris – like many in the Philadelphia suburbs – was a lover of the city’s Phillies, Eagles and Flyers, according to his obituary. As a young boy, he was a hockey enthusiast who challenged himself in the role of goalie and kept a collection of sports memorabilia.  

Other games played with distinction: catch, Nerf and badminton. They were no less important than other sports because they were played with Chris as the “fun-loving” uncle with his nephews and two nieces.  

At Christmas, Chris would build a holiday village with his father, Chuck, “a tradition that reflected his warm spirit and love for family,” his obituary notes. Cookouts and camping were spent with friends. 

Most of all, Chris’ brief life was long on memories for just about everyone who knew him.

“His playful energy and generous heart,” the obituary reads, “left lasting memories with all who knew him.”  

Sources: Legacy.com, Perinchief Chapels

Inside the obits:

Food for thought

Obituaries are a reservoir of families left behind; military service; beloved pets; and love at first sight, among other details. But they can also make your mouth water when they describe a loved one’s penchant for cooking – and eating.

Eileen R. Russo of Williamstown brought people together for meals they talked about for years. At Halloween, the 76-year-old made what her obituary describes as her “famous cheese soup and chicken dinners,” food that became such a tradition, children who came to her house as kids returned with their own families. And as a labor of love, Eileen wasn’t intimidated by a Christmas Eve tradition, the Feast of the Seven Fishes.

Adolfo “Nick” DiGhionno was an 84-year-old Italian immigrant who had good food at his fingertips, literally. The Camden County resident was known for “the best bread in the state” – as noted in his obituary – where he followed in his father’s footsteps by owning his own bakery in Lindenwold. 

Joan B. Malony is remembered for “pulling off perfection,” as the 86-year-old’s obituary states. The Camden County resident made soups, meals and desserts from scratch to feed the people she loved to entertain at home, once even creating a fruit turkey centerpiece.

And then there’s Sunday gravy. It’s what true Italians like John A. Romolini Sr. call the sauce you put on spaghetti – actually macaroni is more like it. The 83-year-old made his Sunday best with family recipes and bounty from the garden of the “dream home” he built in Williamstown.

Sources: Legacy.com, Farnelli Funeral Home, McGuinness Funeral Homes, Foster Warne Funeral Home, Bell-Hennessy Funeral Home

The Good Life appears twice a month. To suggest someone who recently passed away for a tribute, email Christina Mitchell at cmitchell@donnelly.media. Please describe in a few words something about the person’s life.