Agnes DiTommaso 1932-2026

Aggie was born Jan. 2, 1932, in Hillsville, Pa., the daughter of Guiseppe and Christina Grannie Battista.

She was a 1950 graduate of Poland High School.

After meeting her husband, Leonard, on a blind date, they married on Jan. 14, 1960. Aggie became a full-time homemaker and embraced motherhood.

While those roles defined and fulfilled her, she always aspired for more. When her children were in high school, she pursued employment outside the home, using her excellent typing and shorthand skills in office administration and later working from home as a medical transcriptionist.

Aggie always had an entrepreneurial spirit and believed it was never too late to pursue your dreams. In her 70s, she turned her passion for cooking and feeding others into a cookbook, “Grandma Aggie’s ‘Yummy’ Italian Recipes and More.” Another book followed, “Dear Nursing Home,” chronicling the painful journey of placing her mother in a facility after a dementia diagnosis. Aggie would eventually succumb to the same cruel disease.

A gifted artist and musician, Aggie entertained at neighborhood block parties and could be heard playing guitar and singing “Lucille” by Kenny Rogers. After her dementia diagnosis, her love for the piano was reignited, and she often played her favorite hymns. Her strong Christian faith guided her steps.

Her greatest joy was being a grandmother to her four grandsons, who were loved, adored and overfed. Walks to the gazebo to feed the fish, Sunday dinners, big hugs, pinched cheeks, family vacations and Cleveland Indians baseball are just a few of the cherished memories from those years. Aggie was never happier than when her family gathered around her.

Her world was forever changed by the death of her husband, Leonard J. DiTommaso, on Dec. 15, 2021. Despite her challenges, she lived out her days with remarkable resilience, feistiness, a great sense of humor and a contagious laugh.

Aggie leaves a legacy of love with her children, Roseanne Olsavsky and Lenny DiTommaso, and their spouses, Tom Olsavsky and Kathleen DiTommaso, whom she loved as her own; and her beloved grandchildren, Marco, Dominic (Ana), Jordan and Brett. She also leaves her brother, Felix Battista and his wife, Vickie, whom she loved as a sister; and an extended family of nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, cousins and friends she loved dearly.

The family extends a heartfelt thank you to St. Mary’s Alzheimer’s Center for the exceptional care they provided to Aggie and her family. Their professional expertise and understanding of dementia care showed early on that she would be treated with dignity and respect. Witnessing the love and laughter shared between Aggie and the staff confirmed this was the place she would call home. They have truly earned the title of family.

Family will receive friends from 10 to 11 a.m. Friday, March 20, 2026, at the Rossi Brothers and Lellio Funeral Home, 4442 South Ave., Boardman, followed by an 11 a.m. celebration of life.

Family and friends are encouraged to offer prayers for the family and support by visiting the Book of Memories at www.rossifunerals.com.

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