Mary D. Leadbetter of Branford and Venice, Florida, died peacefully at Connecticut Hospice on July 6. She was the wife of the late Victor Cassella and Robert T. Leadbetter. She was born on Jan. 13, 1916, in Vitulano, Italy, daughter of Raphael and Aquilina Pedicini DeGennaro.

She emigrated from Italy with her family in 1923. Mary was a graduate of Commercial High School in New Haven and worked as a legal secretary to Attorney Bernard Pellegrino, Sr. She married Victor Cassella in 1939. With her husband Victor, she operated Mechanical Electric Service Company in Hamden. After the death of her husband Victor in 1963, Mary attended Southern Connecticut State University and also studied at I’Universita per Stranieri in Perugia, Italy. She traveled to Italy for several years, visiting family and staying in Rome and Perugia. She married Robert T. Leadbetter in 1968. With Robert, Mary sailed the coast of Maine and traveled extensively around the world.

Mary is survived by her children Victor Cassella (Marilyn) of Branford and Marie Cassella (Phil Johnson) of West Harwich, Massachusetts; her grandchildren Matthew Cassella (Larysa) and Paul Cassella of Branford; and Eric Haynes of Dorchester, Massachusetts; her great-grandchildren Tatia, Valentia, and Lucia Cassella; and her brothers Guy DeGenaro of Richmond, Virginia, Richard DeGennaro of Sarasota, Florida, and George DeGenaro of Sarasota, Florida. She was predeceased by her brothers Valentino DeGennaro, Eugene DeGennaro, Alfredo DeGenaro, and August DeGenaro.

Mary was the matriarch of a large extended family, she enjoyed a long, active life, and she will be missed by all of us.

A family memorial service will be held at a date to be announced. Memorial donations may be made to Connecticut Hospice, 100 Double Beach Rd., Branford, CT 06405. The W.S. Clancy Memorial Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. For an online memorial, please visit www.wsclancy.com.