Obituary for Phyllis Bona (Ditello)
Phyllis Bona, nee Ditello, was born on June 29, 1928, in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The second of nine children of Alfonso and Laura Caliento Ditello, both of whom emigrated to the United States from Italy, she grew up with a love of family, faith, and the amazing Italian food traditions her parents brought with them.
In her family’s large home on Orchard Street, Phyllis was raised as a devout Christian. She loved music and sometimes played the piano for church events. From the time she was a little girl, she embraced hard work. As the oldest girl among seven brothers, she helped her mother keep the house spotless. With her good humor and quick smile, she connected easily with other people inside and outside the home. A good student, she was looking forward to attending high school with her dear friend Teresa Caccamo, but instead in 1941 went to work at a commercial laundry to earn money for the family.
In 1948 while working at Rice’s Silk Mill, Phyllis met Edward Bona, a Pittsfield native who had served in the Navy during World War II. They fell in love, got married and had two children, David and Darlene. In 1958, the Bona family moved to their second home together, a custom-built house on Rhode Island Avenue, where Phyllis devoted herself to raising her family. She loved being a mother. She cooked her signature Italian dishes—including gnocchi, polenta, red sauce, and eggplant—to the universal acclaim of her large family and network of friends.
Phyllis and Ed continued to welcome and entertain people in their home well into their nineties. Even in her last year of life, Phyllis cherished cooking for family, especially her husband and grandkids.
Phyllis always rued her lack of education and as her children grew, she went back to school to earn her high school equivalency. She secured a job in administration at Berkshire Medical Center and worked there for 25 years. She forged very close relationships with her co-workers from every part of the hospital—doctors, nurses, and janitors alike. After she retired, Phyllis volunteered at BMS for 15 years. That spirit of service was a big part of who Phyllis was—always quick to help her friends and neighbors in need, often sending homemade food to comfort them.
Phyllis and Ed made many lifelong friends as active members of the Christian Assembly Church in Pittsfield, and later, at Hope Church in Lenox. Phyllis remained close with her Ditello family relatives throughout her life. In later years Phyllis and Ed forged a very special relationship with her brother Dave and sister-in-law Bonnie. They went on vacations together, ran tag sales together, laughed uproariously, and shared their deep bonds of Christian faith.
Tragedy struck Phyllis and Ed in 2014 when their daughter, Darlene Seckler, died from pancreatic cancer. Since then, Phyllis had sought daily comfort in her memories of Darlene and in her faith.
Phyllis is survived by her husband, Edward Bona; son David Bona and his wife Gail Nelson; son-in-law Patrick Seckler; grandchildren Zach, Rachel, and Jake Seckler and Danielle and her husband CJ Cimino; great-grandchildren Trent Seckler, Braden Cimino, and Everett Cimino; brothers Louis and wife Beverly, James Ditello, David Ditello and wife Bonnie; sister Carole Gale; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her daughter Darlene Secker; four brothers, Tom, Vincent, Joseph, and Sam Ditello; sister-in-law, Nancy Ditello; and brother-in-law, Ken Gale.
FUNERAL NOTICE: Calling hours will be held on Friday, January 28, 2022 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Dery Funeral Home, 54 Bradford St, Pittsfield, with a memorial service to follow at 11 a.m. with Pastor Doug Foss, officiating. Masks are required. Burial will be private at Pittsfield Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations to support training for low-income, aspiring certified nursing assistants (CNAs) may be made to Berkshire County Regional Employment, 66 Allen Street, Pittsfield, MA 01202. Please put CNA: Phyllis Bona in the memo line of your check.
In her family’s large home on Orchard Street, Phyllis was raised as a devout Christian. She loved music and sometimes played the piano for church events. From the time she was a little girl, she embraced hard work. As the oldest girl among seven brothers, she helped her mother keep the house spotless. With her good humor and quick smile, she connected easily with other people inside and outside the home. A good student, she was looking forward to attending high school with her dear friend Teresa Caccamo, but instead in 1941 went to work at a commercial laundry to earn money for the family.
In 1948 while working at Rice’s Silk Mill, Phyllis met Edward Bona, a Pittsfield native who had served in the Navy during World War II. They fell in love, got married and had two children, David and Darlene. In 1958, the Bona family moved to their second home together, a custom-built house on Rhode Island Avenue, where Phyllis devoted herself to raising her family. She loved being a mother. She cooked her signature Italian dishes—including gnocchi, polenta, red sauce, and eggplant—to the universal acclaim of her large family and network of friends.
Phyllis and Ed continued to welcome and entertain people in their home well into their nineties. Even in her last year of life, Phyllis cherished cooking for family, especially her husband and grandkids.
Phyllis always rued her lack of education and as her children grew, she went back to school to earn her high school equivalency. She secured a job in administration at Berkshire Medical Center and worked there for 25 years. She forged very close relationships with her co-workers from every part of the hospital—doctors, nurses, and janitors alike. After she retired, Phyllis volunteered at BMS for 15 years. That spirit of service was a big part of who Phyllis was—always quick to help her friends and neighbors in need, often sending homemade food to comfort them.
Phyllis and Ed made many lifelong friends as active members of the Christian Assembly Church in Pittsfield, and later, at Hope Church in Lenox. Phyllis remained close with her Ditello family relatives throughout her life. In later years Phyllis and Ed forged a very special relationship with her brother Dave and sister-in-law Bonnie. They went on vacations together, ran tag sales together, laughed uproariously, and shared their deep bonds of Christian faith.
Tragedy struck Phyllis and Ed in 2014 when their daughter, Darlene Seckler, died from pancreatic cancer. Since then, Phyllis had sought daily comfort in her memories of Darlene and in her faith.
Phyllis is survived by her husband, Edward Bona; son David Bona and his wife Gail Nelson; son-in-law Patrick Seckler; grandchildren Zach, Rachel, and Jake Seckler and Danielle and her husband CJ Cimino; great-grandchildren Trent Seckler, Braden Cimino, and Everett Cimino; brothers Louis and wife Beverly, James Ditello, David Ditello and wife Bonnie; sister Carole Gale; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her daughter Darlene Secker; four brothers, Tom, Vincent, Joseph, and Sam Ditello; sister-in-law, Nancy Ditello; and brother-in-law, Ken Gale.
FUNERAL NOTICE: Calling hours will be held on Friday, January 28, 2022 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Dery Funeral Home, 54 Bradford St, Pittsfield, with a memorial service to follow at 11 a.m. with Pastor Doug Foss, officiating. Masks are required. Burial will be private at Pittsfield Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations to support training for low-income, aspiring certified nursing assistants (CNAs) may be made to Berkshire County Regional Employment, 66 Allen Street, Pittsfield, MA 01202. Please put CNA: Phyllis Bona in the memo line of your check.