Obituary of Agatha Rappa

Agatha Rappa, 86, of Leesburg, Virginia passed away on Tuesday, August 24, 2021, after an 11-year battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. Agatha was born on February 1, 1935, to Josephine and Antonio Vassallo in Grisi, Sicily. In 1949, her mother, Josephine Vassallo, relocated her and her siblings from Sicily to New York. She lived in New York with her siblings Angelo, Maria, Benny, and Josephine. She graduated from William Cullen High School in Queens, New York and went on to work at the American Forest and Paper Association in New York. On January 31, 1959, she married her one true love Peter Rappa and together they had two children, Joseph and Rosetta. Peter tragically passed away in 1965; Agatha went on to raise two children by herself with the help of her siblings and in-laws. Agatha prioritized and valued family above everything else. She would take multiple forms of transportation (ferry, train, bus) to attend a family member’s Baptism, Communion, reunion, etc. She did this without any hesitation or thought – family was first. She made a point of teaching her children and grandchildren the importance of being there for both immediate and extended family. Her love ran deep and always will. Besides family, Agatha was known for having a green thumb. She had a lively garden with ripe tomatoes that she would consistently ship to her grandchildren. She also knew how to take care of her grass – it was so plush it resembled carpeting. Agatha loved her house, and you could sense all the love upon walking through the door. In 2002, she relocated from Staten Island to Virginia to be closer to her grandchildren Nicole and Matthew. Agatha was as independent in Virginia as she was in New York. She still took public transportation everywhere, made friends with everyone, and was always open to new opportunities – including dancing for the NBA’s Washington Wizards in D.C. and traveling to Spain with fellow residents of Leisure World. She was and always will be the social butterfly of the family. When she wasn’t at church, dancing, traveling, or spending time with family, she was volunteering at INOVA Loudoun Hospital. There she was given an award for top volunteer hours. Though Agatha has gone from sight, her spirit will live on forever and she is now reunited with her one true love Peter. Agatha is survived by her son Joseph and daughter-in-law Marie Rappa, grandchildren Joseph and Nicholas Rappa, her daughter Rosetta and son-in-law Tom Erdelyi, grandchildren Nicole & Matthew Erdelyi, sister Josephine Musacchio, and in-laws Vincenzo & Maria Rappa, Salvatore & Assunta Rappa, Maddalena Rappa, Pina Rappa, Bettina Rappa, and Maria Rappa. The family would also like to acknowledge the following individuals who provided love and care for Agatha: Terri Stine, Sharda, Tim, Giorgina, Anjou, Sona, Stella, Bertha, Corina, Jill, and other staff at INOVA Loudoun Hospital; Anita Irvin, Mavis, Michelle Hicks, Karla Kiser, Rose Emuebie, Nicole Tangwa, Jennifer Stanford, Callie Dunn, Diana Nawurah, and Ana Bacchus at Arden Courts; Mary Beth Reckmeyer-Armstrong at Capital Caring; Natasha O’banion, Jamie Riley, and Judy Wolfe at Meadow Glenn; those at the Adult Day Care Center; our friends and caregivers Linda Varda, Richard Zamora, Savannah DeRoma; friends Lauren and Anne Schroth, Mike Mastronardi, Michelle Krehbiel, Samantha and Ahmed Nasr, and Gwen Blue. Thank you to those who we might have looked over. It truly took a village, and we are grateful for the help we’ve received over the past 11-years. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association. Nicole is currently planning and will be walking in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s in October. Please donate here. The family will receive friends for a memorial gathering from 3:00-6:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 28, 2021, at Matthew’s Funeral Home (2508 Victory Blvd, Staten Island, NY 10314). The burial will be on Wednesday, September 1 at 11 a.m. ET at Resurrection Cemetery (361 Sharrott Ave, Staten Island, NY 10309). A Message From the Family of Agatha Rappa We strongly encourage all guests visiting to be vaccinated and wear masks. Until we meet again, Mom. It was my honor being by your side all these years and I hope I made you proud. I love you and miss you so very much. - Rose