Antoinette Barbara DiMillo Ely Obituary (1931 - 2014)

SACO-Antoinette Barbara DiMillo Ely, 82, formerly of Cape Elizabeth, Maine, passed away peacefully on November 9, 2014 in the comfort of family at The Monarch assisted living facility, from complications related to Alzheimers disease. She was born the daughter of Giovanni and Rosalia Dinardo DiMillo in Portland, Maine on December 4, 1931. Barbara grew up in Portland, graduating from Portland High School in 1949. After school, she moved to Washington, D.C. where she worked as a legal secretary at a prominent law firm. She was very devoted to her job and was proud of the quality and presentation of her work, as was her boss and their clients. While in Washington she met her future husband, Wellington Bud Ely. They were married on November 7, 1953. After their first child was born, they moved back to Barbaras hometown of Portland, where Bud earned his college degree. The young family moved to Chicago for 10 years, before coming back to Maine in 1967, much to the delight of Barbara. Bud opened his own accounting practice in the early 70s, and when the children were a bit older, Barbara became a permanent fixture in the office, wearing many hats, but especially shining at client relations, greeting them with a smile and warm conversation. Her daughter Rosanne and son John now operate the business, and clients still ask about Barbara and recant stories of how she had a knack for making them feel at ease. Barbara was involved in many organizations in Cape Elizabeth, where they moved in 1969. Among them were president of the Shore Acres Garden Club, secretary of the Shore Acres Association, a member of the League of Women Voters, a long-standing member of the local book club, member of the Italian Heritage Club, a volunteer in the Maine Medical Centers flower shop, and also worked on local political campaigns and causes. She was a communicant of St. Bartholomews Church in Cape Elizabeth. Her artistic side shined through with her love of gardening and flower arranging, for which she won several awards. Her warmth and kind soul also shined through in her cooking. As a daughter of Italian immigrants, she baked a lot of mouth-watering pastas, pizzas, sauces and desserts, and had mastered other comfort foods too. She loved to entertain, and hosted many dinner parties for family and friends. She also enjoyed board games and playing bridge. Barbara was predeceased by her husband of 57 years, Wellington, in 2010, and her parents and her oldest sister, Mary DiMillo Fray. She leaves behind a sister, Francesca DiMillo Vumbaca, of Portland, a brother, Alberto DiMillo and wife Martha of Sarasota, FL, and brother John DiMillo and wife Dolly of Dunedin, FL. She also leaves behind her 7 children: Elizabeth E. Leo Haeger, Wellington Duke M. Ely, Jr., Rosanne E. Jeffrey Curneil, Andrea B. Robert Warner, John S. Kathleen Ely, Christine E. Eugene Zierk and Gregory S. Ely. She also leaves behind 14 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. The family would like to acknowledge the staff at The Monarch in Saco for the wonderful level of care and support that she received. They treated her with the dignity and love, as they would treat their own families. Visiting hours will be held on Sunday, November 16, 2014 from 2-5PM at the Conroy-Tully Crawford South Portland Chapel, 1024 Broadway, South Portland. Barbaras Funeral Service will be held at 10am Monday, November 17, 2014 at the Funeral Home. Burial to follow in Calvary Cemetery, Broadway, South Portland. For online guestbook, please visit www.ctcrawford.com Donations can be made in Barbaras memory to the Alzheimers Association of Maine, 383 US Route 1, Suite 2C, Scarborough, ME 04074.