Raffaela Rella
Raffaela “Ray” Rella (formerly Saracino) of Harrison passed away peacefully on May 7th, 2025 surrounded by her loving family. She was 96 + years old. Born in Barile, Italy on August 28, 1928, she is the daughter of Michael Antonio & Camilla Calabrese. Raffaela was well known for her Italian cooking, bread baking, and homemade “pizza fritta”. She showed her love of family through cooking and hosting many house gatherings over the years with family and friends. She loved taking day trips to places like Maine, Cape Cod, and Prince Edward Island. Her pride and joy was her beautiful garden where many of the ingredients she used for her cooking came from. Year after year she together with her husband “Larry” grew tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, pumpkin, cucumbers, string beans and fresh herbs such as parsley, basil, and oregano. Her domestic talents included sewing for her family. She worked for Chatterbox as a Seamstress in Harrison where she specialized in wedding gowns and earlier, she worked in Port Chester where she sewed garment pieces in an all-female factory. Ray had a creative flair and demonstrated to be a self-made businesswoman. While a stay-at-home mom, she worked as a jewelry maker for a private company. Ray was a CSEA Member from 1969-1980 when she worked as a head cook at the Parsons Memorial School and the LMK Middle School in Harrison.
From 1990 – 1995 Ray continued her cooking career at Pace University where she was awarded a Certificate of recognition and appreciation for five years of dedicated and valuable service from the Chairman of The Board and President of Marriott International.
She will be remembered for the strength and resilience she instilled in all of us. Raffaela was preceded in death on February 12, 2018 by her beloved husband, Lorenzo “Larry” Rella. In addition, she leaves behind her cherished daughters, Rosemary Rella-DeVito (Michael), Lucille Rella, and Teri Rella, and loving grandchildren, Camila Ann DeVito-Gonzales (Shelton), Carissa Rose DeVito and Michael Laurence DeVito. She is also survived by nieces and nephews residing in Italy and sister-in-law, (Teresa Rella). Predeceased are Marc Saracino of Rye (brother); Ida Saracino, (sister), Nicholas Saracino (brother) and Carmela Saracino (sister) of Italy.
To honor Raffaela’s life, family and friends will gather on Friday May 9th from 2 pm until 6 pm at COXE & GRAZIANO FUNERAL HOME 767 E. Boston Post Rd. Mamaroneck, NY 914-698-5968. Funeral Mass 10am Saturday May 10th at St Gregory the Great R.C. Church, in Harrison, followed by an interment at Greenwood Union Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to The American Heart Association.