Yolanda Irene Costanzo (nee Poliferno), age 92 , wife of the late Carlo Costanzo, entered into eternal rest on August 23, 2024 in the comfort of her daughter’s home. Daughter of the late Frances and Salvatore Poliferno, she was born on September 2, 1931 in Derby, CT.
Yolanda was a graduate of Derby High School where she was fondly known as ‘Polly’. She attended Stone Business College and in later years attended and graduated from the University of New Haven where she received an A.S. degree in General Studies and a B.S. degree in Public Administration. While she was at Stone Business College she was a member of the Alpha Iota Sorority, International Honorary Business Society . While attending UNH she was a proud member of the National Alpha Lambda Sigma Honorary Society, Sigma Chapter 1981.
In her early years, Yolanda worked for the State of Ct. and SCSU in various secretarial positions, until making a career at UNH from which she retired as executive secretary to the Dean of Undergraduate Admission Services in 1992. Yolanda was a member of the Orange Town Pool for many years and was a literacy volunteer in Milford. She was also a communicant of St. Jude Church, Derby until its closing.
Yolanda was a fun person to be around. She loved to laugh and she loved animals, especially cats. She loved to tell the story of her beloved ‘Pinkus Marcus’, the cat she had as a young girl, and how she used to dress her up in doll’s clothing much to poor ‘Pinky’s’ dismay. Yolanda loved sweets and desserts, especially chocolate. She loved John Wayne westerns, the Hallmark mystery channel, Perry Mason, Murder She Wrote, Matlock and CNN. She was very patriotic and never missed an opportunity to vote.
Yolanda’s legacy will be her love and devotion to her family. She was a great cook and showed the love she had for her family through food. She was happiest when her children and grandchildren were all together sharing a dish of macaroni with her delicious sauce and all the sides that go with it. She was a loving and devoted wife, mother and grandmother, as well as a loyal friend.
Yolanda is survived by her son Carl (Donna) Costanzo of Seymour and her daughter Lori-Ann (David) Carcova of Orange, grandchildren Marc Costanzo of Manchester, Carissa Costanzo of Naugatuck, Victoria (John) Chiarello of Wallingford and Patrick Carcova of Orange. Also left to cherish her memory are several beloved nieces and nephews in the US and in Italy, sister-in-law Helen Poliferno of Derby and sister-in-law Silvia Costanzo of Torino, Italy. She was predeceased by her devoted husband Carlo of 68 years, a sister Mary Poliferno and four brothers, Paquale (Pat), Frank, Salvatore and Mario.
The family would like to thank Yolanda’s caring and devoted caregivers Mariama Edison and Paulette Winkle for their compassionate care and loyalty. The family would also like to thank the entire staff at AccentCare Hospice, especially Sarah RN, Yamaris RN, Taryn (‘the music lady’), and Chaplain Charles for the unwavering compassion, care and love they gave to our mother from the moment they met her until her death.
Friends may call on Thursday morning (August 29), from 9:30am to 10:30am at the Edward F. Adzima Funeral Home, 253 Elizabeth St., Derby. Her funeral procession will leave the funeral home at 10:30 am for her Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00am at Our Lady Queen of the Apostles Parish (St. Mary’s Church), 212 Elizabeth St., Derby. Interment will be in Mt. St. Peter Cemetery, New Haven Ave., Derby.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Yolanda’s memory to the
American Lung Association (https://www.lung.org) or The Animal Haven (https://theanimalhavenct.org) — a no kill animal shelter.
