Obituary of Maryann C. DeFazio

Maryann Camille DeFazio, 69, formerly of Fairfield, devoted wife of William DeFazio, Sr., passed away peacefully on Wednesday, February 21st, 2018 at St. Vincent’s Medical Center surrounded by her family. 

In addition to Bill, her beloved husband of 50 years, She will be lovingly remembered by her son, William (Bill) Jr. and his wife Deborah; daughter Kimberley; grandsons Dylan and Zayden; brother John Mallozzi and wife MaryAnn; sister Camille Rosa and husband Gonzalo; nephews John Jr (and wife Teri) and Michael (and wife Shannon), nieces Christine and her husband Josh, and Marissa; cherished friends Candy Puffer, Tanya Flynn, Gloria and Brian Bish, and Lisa Sauer; and her beloved dachshund Manny. She was preceded in death by her parents, Marie and Ralph Mallozzi, and her grandson Forest.

Maryann was born on June 16, 1948 to the late Ralph and Marie Mallozzi in the Bronx, New York. She met Bill on a blind date when she went in the place of a sick friend (as the family story goes, she thought he was a rich guy from Greenwich, he thought she was a fast gal from the Bronx…turns out they were both wrong). They married on October 19, 1968 and spent a few years in Greenwich before settling the family in Fairfield, Connecticut in 1975.

Maryann was a devoted mother not just to her children, but to all creatures of God. She was also the “glue” that always kept the family together, through good times and bad.  A graduate of the University of Bridgeport School of Nursing, she made her career as an RN at Norwalk Hospital and various Adult Care Facilities and later as a healthcare administrator at Metlife. The dogs and cats that passed through the DeFazio household were beneficiaries of a separate Thanksgiving turkey breast roasted exclusively for them. She enjoyed spending time in her garden, helping winter turn to spring and feeding the menagerie of birds, deer and squirrels that were lucky enough to cross her path.

Maryann’s soft heart was complimented by her fiery candor, quick wit and (ever so slight) dose of stubborn. She was an avid reader, loved debating current events and had a curious affection for the movie “Death to Smoochy.” Due to her Bronx roots, she of course was a die-hard Yankee fan, regularly watching Yankee games (spring training, regular season and playoffs) with her family, second guessing every move made by the manager, while maintaining that Ron Guidry was the best looking baseball player ever.

Friends may call on Sunday, February 25th, 2018 at Lesko Polke Funeral Home, 1209 Post Road, Fairfield, CT, with viewing hours from 2:00 PM until 6:00 PM.  A Mass will be celebrated for Maryann on Monday February 26th at 10:30 AM at Holy Cross R.C. Church, 750 Tahmore Drive, Fairfield, CT. The burial will be private.  The family acknowledges that Maryann prefers donations be made to one of the following organizations: The Epilepsy Foundation (https://epilepsyfoundation.givenow.stratuslive.com/donate) in memory of her grandson Forest Ruddy; and Thank Dog Rescue https://thankdogrescue.org/donate/ in memory of her many pets and grandpets.

For travel directions or to sign her online guest register, please visit www.LeskoPolkeFuneralHome.com.