Antoinette Ferrara 1930-2026

Clara was born March 18, 1930, in Youngstown, to the late John Beatriz Rose and Patricia Fusco. She was only 8 years old when her father passed away. Her mother met and married her second husband, Constantino Carreira Gonzalez, and he adopted her and her brother, the late Anthony “Tony” Carrera.

She was a graduate of Chaney High School (1949), where she was a proud member of the majorette drill team.

She married the love of her life, John DiMichaelangelo, on June 23, 1951, and had three daughters and one son. John passed away unexpectedly on Dec. 12, 1975.

She married her second husband, Allen Ferrara, on Nov. 4, 1987, and he passed away on Nov. 6, 2017.

Throughout her life she found pleasure in the simple, meaningful things in life — especially baking. Her kitchen was often filled with the aroma of her homemade pasta e fagioli (pasta fazool), minestra and baked goods — biscotti and kolachi. Her homemade creations reflected her care, creativity and love.

She also had a love for fashion and flair. She treated every day like an occasion, putting a lot of thought into picking out her outfits. On special occasions, you could spot her a mile away with her carefully curated “fancy” outfits and perfectly manicured nails to match. Her naturally curly, silver-gray hair was styled and set with hairspray, so it never moved — she loved her hairspray!

Clara was a devoted and loving mother of four children, Diane (Steve) Carlomagno, Pam DiMichaelangelo, Marlene (Kenny) Fagnano and Dr. Laury (Annette) DiMichaelangelo; proud grandmother of nine grandchildren, Jackie (Matt) King, Michael (Chrissy) VanValien, Attorney Nicholas (Kortney Canter) Fagnano, Angelo (Shelly) Fagnano, Dr. GianCarlo “Gianni” DiMichaelangelo, Santino “Sonny” DiMichaelangelo and Armando “Mondo” DiMichaelangelo; and cherished great-grandmother of seven, Giana VanValien, Gavin VanValien, Gemma VanValien, Jocelyn “Josie” King, Leo Fagnano, Vincent “Vinny” Fagnano and Clementine “Clemmy” Fagnano. She is also survived by her beloved nieces and nephews and truly appreciated spending precious time with them.

She was preceded in death by her parents, John Beatriz Rose (father) and Patricia Fusco (mother) and Constantino Carreira Gonzalez (father); loving husbands, John DiMichaelangelo and Allen Ferrara; and grandchildren, Attorney Frank Fagnano and Milena DiMichaelangelo; son-in-law, Ken Fagnano; and brother, Anthony “Tony” Carrera.

Family was the center of her life, and nothing brought her more joy than celebrating the milestones, successes and happiness of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was never shy about sharing her pride in them with anyone who would listen. Warm, generous and deeply caring, Clara touched the lives of many beyond her immediate family. Her kindness, spirit and unwavering love will be deeply missed by family members near and far, as well as friends whose lives she enriched over the years. She leaves behind a legacy of love, devotion and pride in family that will be carried forward by all who knew and loved her.

Funeral services will be 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, at Vaschak-Kirila Funeral Home, 3100 Canfield Road, Youngstown, OH 44511.

Vaschak-Kirila Funeral Home handled all of the arrangements for the family.

(special notice)