Cecelia Celestine Forrelli Scudiere, 93, of Morgantown, peacefully went to be with our Lord on Jan. 27, 2023, after a short illness.
Cecelia was born on June 15, 1929, in Corning, Ohio, the daughter of the late Geremia Focarelli and Mary (Monesi) Focarelli.
She graduated from Morgantown High School in 1947,attended West Virginia University, and maintained a lifelong interest in learning.
She was a woman of great faith, as demonstrated by her many years as a member of St. Mary Roman Catholic Church and the Catholic Daughters of America.
Over the years, she was employed by the Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio and retired from the Monongalia County Clerk’s Office.
Cecelia was preceded in death by the love of her life, her husband, Rudolph Scudiere, who passed away on April 20, 1994, and whom she married on Feb. 8, 1950; and her siblings, William Forrell, James Forrelli and Joanne Forrelli Ryan.
She is survived by her children, William (Debra) Scudiere, Cathy (David) Allen, Lou Ann (JT) Straface, and James (Tammy) Scudiere, all of Morgantown; her grandchildren, Pete (Andrea) Allen, Carrie (Dan) Prusa, Wendy (Klaus) Habermehl, Jenna (Michael) Oates, Anthony Straface and his partner Beth Bossio, Nicholas (Bobbi) Straface, Rachel (Brandon) Jones, Ian (Dana) Scudiere and Taylor (Zach) Laurita; her great-grandchildren, Brady, Brionna, Olivia, Norah, Eli, Sam, Hannah, Gianna, Sofia, Giantonio, Maria, Bryan, Brittney, Hunter and Evan; her siblings, Rita Coombs of Morgantown, and John (Susan) Forrelli, of St. Clairsville, Ohio; her sister-in-law, Clara Scudiere Smith, of Doylestown, Pa.; and many cherished nieces, nephews and friends.
Cecelia will be remembered for her wonderful sense of humor and wit, creative and artistic skills and love for reading. She followed the Pirates and the Mountaineers, especially the women’s basketball team, and she enjoyed weekly poker games for decades with her lifelong girlfriends. She loved to collect recipes, especially desserts, and was best known for her Crown Jewel Dessert, which she made for many family holidays. She loved to research her family roots and kept meticulous genealogy records. Above all, Cecelia will be remembered for her deep love for her family. Sunday afternoon visits with Cecelia were a tradition that her family will sorely miss.
Visitation will be at St. Mary Roman Catholic Church, Morgantown, from 3-7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 31, and from 10-11 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 1. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Mary Roman Catholic Church at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 1 with Father John McDonough as celebrant.
Donations may be made in Cecelia’s memory to St. Ursula Food Pantry, 87 Pursglove Road, Pursglove, WV 26546, or St. Mary Roman Catholic Church, 3346 University Ave., Morgantown, WV 26505.
Caring services are provided by Dering-Henson Funeral Home, Morgantown.
