Delia Maria DeFusco Blanco was born on February 27, 1935 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Her father was a hardware store owner and her mother was a homemaker. Her grandparents were from Italy. She was ninety-one years old and lived in Great Neck New York. Donations may be made to Bide a Wee pet adoption center in Wantagh, NY in lieu of flowers.
As a child, Delia loved her Dachshund puppy and exploring nature near her family’s home. She began her life-long love for language, learning French and English. She had a special place in her heart for poetry. As a young adult, she taught English to airline employees.
After studying English and becoming fluent in it, she earned a master’s degree in Argentina, a point of pride for her. She came to visit New York in 1962 to further her language interests and travel.
Delia worked at Corning Glass and Ford Motor Company as an executive secretary. Her typing skills were quite proficient. The click clack of Delia working on her typewriter could be heard on many an afternoon. She was invited to a party where she met her husband-to-be, Tony. After marrying in Buenos Aires in 1964 and having her first child in Jackson Heights in 1966, the family moved to Little Neck, where she had her second child in 1969. The family then moved to Great Neck in 1972 and she became a devoted homemaker. She took great interest in her children’s education, often helping with homework while taking care of household tasks. She always had a snack ready in the afternoon for when the kids came home.
In the mid 1970’s she decided to pursue a career as an educator in English as a Second Language. She went to Long Island University and graduated with a master’s degree in ESL in 1980. She was a devoted educator in the Roosevelt School District for 25 plus years, adored by students and colleagues and she retired in 2000. She would often relate anecdotes about her experiences as a teacher, especially about how she cared about her students. She started an ethnic dancing group with her students and she was proactive in taking care of their needs as new arrivals in this country. One of her coworkers remembers an occasion when my mom witnessed a fight between students taking place in school. She broke up the fight; this is a good example of Delia’s concern about the welfare of others.
Delia had an innocent quality about her, and a curiosity about all things, especially the natural world. She was idealistic about politics and wanted a better world. She was a rulebreaker and had a rebellious streak. In fact, she would sneakily give me a chance to drive the family car before I was of age.
The family adopted Bertha, a dog that my mom loved deeply. She had nicknames for many people and pets, like chu chi, and Mariuch, and Machi for her sons. Some of Delia’s favorite sayings were “dios mio, (my god)” “que sera sera, (what will be will be)” “it takes two to tango,” and upon seeing a flower, “how beautiful!”
She pursued creative interests, writing plays and poetry, and participated in a book club. In later years, she accompanied her husband on trips with the running club that her husband belonged to throughout the world with their friends Hector and Carmen. She had a boisterous laugh especially about forbidden topics. Delia enjoyed wine and good food. Empanadas, the food of her homeland, was a favorite. During her winters spent in Florida, she enjoyed watching manatees and loved to walk near the water to observe birds. In addition, she loved Elvis Presley and often sang along to his music.
This quote from one of her favorite poets, the Argentinian Jorge Luis Borges, is a poignant way to remember Delia’s life.
“Time is the substance I am made of. Time is a river which sweeps me along, but I am the river; it is a tiger which destroys me, but I am the tiger; it is a fire which consumes me, but I am the fire.”