Eleanor Caccavale Obituary
Eleanor Caccavale passed away peacefully on January 28, 2025. She was born November 30, 1927, in Chicago Illinois to Vito and Giustina Mastrogiacomo. She was the second of three children born to Italian immigrant parents and grew up in what was then Chicago's Italian neighborhood. She passed away at the age of 97 on January 28, 2025, in Norridge, Illinois after a five-year battle with dementia and Alzheimer's. She was a homemaker, wife, aunt, grand-aunt and known to many as "Auntie El". She was preceded in death by her husband, Rocco Caccavale; her parents, Vito and Giustina Mastrogiacomo, her sister Lina and her brother, Mario. She is survived by her nephews Sal Caccavale (Cyndy), Robert Caccavale (Rhodora), and Michael DeVito (Maria); seven grandnephews and three grandnieces. Eleanor was a long-time Chicago area resident born and raised in "Little Italy" and worked as an accounting supervisor for 37 years at Sears in downtown Chicago. She and her husband retired in Barrington, IL where they built their dream home in 1974. After Rocco passed away, she lived in Tucson Arizona to be close to her family there but later returned to the Chicago area and lived in Des Plaines. As she grew older, she struggled with dementia and Alzheimer's and at the age of 92 she became a resident of Central Baptist Village (Norridge, IL) for full-time assistance.
Eleanor was known for her generosity and love of family. She was very sociable and had many friends who she would have over for dinner or just a mid-afternoon coffee break. She and her husband hosted the Family Christmas Day Dinner and followed that with New Year's Eve parties for their many friends. She loved the Italian singers: Mario Lanza, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Perry Como, and Tony Bennett plus the Big Band era. She and Rocco were quite the jitterbug couple. She was also a great homemaker and loved to cook and bake. She kept her home nicely decorated and neat and loved to decorate for every season and holidays. Eleanor was also a big slot machine fan and loved playing them, even when she lost. Most of all, she had a warm and gracious heart, a contagious smile, and a good outlook on life.
Visitation will be from 9:30 A.M. until 11 A.M., Friday, February 14, 2025, at Carbonara's Funeral Home, 1515 25th Ave, Melrose Park, IL. Chapel Service Friday, February 14, at 11am at Carbonara Funeral Home. After the chapel Service we will be going in procession to Queen of Heaven Cemetery for a Crypt Side Service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Alzheimer's Association https://act.alz.org.
