LINDA ROSE VENTRESCA STEVENSON of Wilmington, Delaware, born January 4, 1949, passed away at home on Thursday, November 3, 2022, in the early hours of the morning. In her last days, she was surrounded by the same light and love she gave throughout her life as friends and family flocked to say their final goodbyes. Linda was the embodiment of toughness. She went into remission from her first breast cancer diagnosis in 2004, miraculously survived a ruptured brain aneurysm in 2011, and fought a metastatic recurrence of breast cancer for 7 years. She was strong, she persevered, and she never quit.
Linda’s greatest joy in life was her family. She enjoyed nothing more than cooking, toasting, and laughing alongside her sisters; visits from her nieces, nephews and their children; and the pitter patter sound of her granddaughters running through the house. And most of all, she loved being a mom.
Affectionately referred to as “Friend,” “Momma Lin,” “Linda Lou,” and “Aunt Sugs,” Linda loved to love and be loved. She leaves behind her son, Christopher (Megan), her daughter Katherine, her sisters, Carolann Horgan (Jerry), and Eileen Gioffre, her best friend Marie Stirparo, a very present ex-husband and friend, Ralph Stevenson, and the lights of her life, her grandkids - Reese Rose and Georgie Mae Stevenson. She is now reunited with her parents, Steven and Rose Ventresca, her brother-in-law Dominic (“Hub”) Gioffre, and her niece, Michele Gioffre Smith.
A visitation will be held on Tuesday, November 15, 2022, from 6pm-8pm at the McCrery & Harra Funeral Home at 3924 Concord Pike, Wilmington, DE. A memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, November 16, 2022, at 10am at Saint Ann’s Catholic Church at 2013 Gilpin Avenue, Wilmington, DE. Burial will be private.
As Linda found sanctuary in her garden, the family welcomes flowers in celebration of her life. Donations can also be made in her memory to Pink Aid, whose mission is to provide compassionate support, critical resources and emergency financial assistance to underserved breast cancer patients and their families.
The family would also like to extend a special thank you to Linda’s care team from Penn Medicine – Abramson Cancer Center Radnor, specifically Dr. Kevin Fox, Lorelei Graham, CRNP, and the amazing nurses and staff that treated her like family.
We will miss you every day, Mom.
