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Louisa L. Vinciguerra

Louisa L. Vinciguerra, age 92, passed away peacefully in her sleep on March 5. Her husband, Frank, joined her in eternal rest less than 24 hours later. They had been married for 65 years. Louisa was born in Millbrook, New York, to Louis Leopold Valentine Carrazzone and Linda Ancillai Carrazzone. She is survived by her three sons, Ralph L. Vinciguerra (Lori), Michael A. Vinciguerra (Janine Johnson), and Louis L. Vinciguerra (Janet); her four granddaughters: Rachel, Amelia, Natalie, and Francesca; her siblings: Alfred Carrazzone, Linda Christie, Anna Armet, and Louis Carrazzone Jr.; and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents; and siblings: Evelina McLeod, Fernando, Gennaro, Renato, and Teresa Curatolo.

In her youth, Louisa loved many activities, such as swimming, volleyball, knitting, cheerleading, skiing, and piano lessons. After graduating from high school, she attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome and created many paintings and sketches. She met her husband, Frank, while working as a draftsperson for IBM. They skied together in the Catskill Mountains during their courtship. When he finally won her over, and they married in 1957, she became a mother and homemaker to their three sons.

Her artistic skills gave her a passion for gardening. She created an extensive rock garden at their home in Hyde Park, New York. When she and Frank moved to Old Saybrook in 1990, she joined the Old Saybrook Garden Club. She specialized in flower arrangements and wreaths and was often asked to provide arrangements for the Acton Public Library and graduation ceremonies at the Old Saybrook schools. She was especially proud that she was asked for many years to provide the holiday wreath for the Old Saybrook Historical Society’s Hart House. Her wreath even appeared one year on the cover of a local magazine. In addition to her artistic skills, Louisa was proficient with technology, often assisting her husband with his work emails from her computer at home, creating marine surveying reports, and drafting articles and communications for his positions as Commodore and Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla Commander. She and Frank were truly a team!

In her later years, she loved to spend time with their granddaughters. After raising three sons, she relished having girl time with her granddaughters by hosting tea parties, playing with paper dolls, and playing outside with them in her beautiful yard. She loved to play the piano as the family gathered around her and sang. She loved to cook for whoever came through her front door, and somehow, she could always figure out how to stretch her pantry items into a full pasta Sunday supper. Her family will miss her at the piano, her famous polpettone soup, and her unconditional love.

There will be a private gravesite ceremony for immediate family later this spring. She and Frank will be laid to rest at Cypress Cemetery in Old Saybrook, and they will forever overlook the Connecticut River and Long Island Sound. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Old Saybrook Historical Society or the Old Saybrook Garden Club.