Vincenzina Mennillo Colino

Vincenzina Mennillo Colino was a beloved great-grandmother, grandmother, mother, wife, sister, and daughter during her incredible 88 years of life. She entered eternal rest peacefully surrounded by her loved ones on Saturday the 3rd of August, 2024.  We will remember Vincenzina by her love for her family, her bright smile, her contagious laugh, and her love for all things sweet.  She had a passion for cooking, gardening, and knitting. Vincenzina, a child at heart, adored her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, from making them pastina, to teaching them batti batti le manine (patty cake), to measuring how much taller than her they were getting.  She did it all with so much joy.

Vincenzina was born on the 20th of October 1935 in Sessa Aurunca, Caserta, Italy, to Antonia D’Arcangelo and Giuseppe Mennillo.  She was the second born of five children.  By the time she was ten years old, she had seen the effects of World War II and she went to work to help her family.  Never learning to read or write properly, she worked in fields gathering crops.  She was the hardest-working woman. She met her husband Gennaro Colino and married on February 9, 1958.  On that same date one year later, she gave birth to a baby boy whom she sadly lost fifteen days later.  By the grace of God, exactly one year later on their second wedding anniversary, they had their son Oreste. Over the next two years two daughters, Antonietta and Rita.  The family of five moved to Germany for work for a few years and in February of 1975 moved to America where she worked making parachutes for the military and then as a cook in a few restaurants over the years.  After her beloved husband lost his sight to diabetes, she became his caretaker.  They would spend months in Italy, then months in the States with her children, their spouses, and grandchildren.  When visiting she found tremendous joy in making them pizzas, bread, and homemade pasta.  She loved to see her whole family gathered around the table.

Vincenzina is predeceased by her parents, her husband of 46 years, her brothers Pasquale and Amerigo, and her baby boy.

She is survived by her sisters, Maria and Michelina Mennillo; son Oreste Colino and wife Gennarina of New Britain, CT; her daughter and caretaker Antonietta Nucifora and husband Angelo of New Britain, CT; and her daughter Rita Feola of Cromwell, CT.  Also surviving are her eight grandchildren, Christina Kevorkian and husband Keith, Johnny Nucifora, Angelica Feola, Marisa Austin- Casares, Nicholas Colino, Jessica Colino, Antonio Feola, and Gennaro Feola and her eight great-grandchildren Christopher and Giuliana Kevorkian, Janiya, Jayla and Jianna Feola-Woods and Aaliyah, Salina, and Daniella Austin-Casares.

Our family would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the N5 and C5 staff at The Hospital of Central Connecticut, New Britain and the staff at Ledgecrest of Kensington for taking such great care of our beloved Vincenzina.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, August 8, 2024 at 9:30 AM at Erickson-Hansen Funeral Home, 411 So. Main St., New Britain, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 AM at St. Francis of Assisi Church, 1755 Stanley St., New Britain.  Burial will be in St. Mary Cemetery.  Calling hours are Wednesday, August 7, 2024 from 4-7 PM at the funeral home.