Isabella Duckro

Isabella Duckro passed from this life peacefully on March 4, 2016. She was supported by family and strengthened by the sacraments.

Isabella was born in Molfetta (Puglia) Italy to Corrado and Antonia (Visaggio) Spadavecchia. Her official date of birth was recorded as January 5, 1922.

Even as a young girl, she was recognized as a brilliant student. In 1945, she earned the degree of Doctor of Letters (Laurea di Dottere in Lettere) from the University of Rome. Her dissertation considered the Jesuit missions in South America from the perspective of wartime Italy, only then emerging from Fascist rule, asking whether the missions were an experiment in socialism. Because of the shortage of paper during the war, the dissertation was never printed and the rough copy has been lost; for the same reason, her diploma was not issued until 1953.

In all these ways, she demonstrated the strength of character for which she was known by all who encountered her. She was a woman of accomplishment in a different era and a difficult time in Italy.

Yet, she was willing also to surrender to love.

Isabella met Robert J. Duckro while working for the United States Army Claims Service as a translator. He was serving in the Finance Corps of the United States Army, assigned to the Claims Service in Italy. They were married in Molfetta in 1945.

She left Italy in 1946 to join Robert in the United States. They lived together in Robert’s home town of Dayton, Ohio until his death in 1999.

During these years, she gave herself fully to her roles as a faithful wife, mother, homemaker and, learning on the job, a great cook and seamstress. She and Robert raised their children in a faith-filled home and were active members of St. Mary’s Parish.

She loved her home in Dayton, and managed that home, with the help of loving extended family and friends, until she was beset by heart disease in 2011.

She made the move to assisted living in Boulder, Colorado with typical courage and determination. She adjusted well, becoming a valuable member of the community and enjoying her time with her son, Larry, his wife, Sher, her granddaughter, Amy, and her great-grandchildren, Emma and Alex, who all lived nearby.

She continued to live a life of faith in Christ Jesus. Isabella joined Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Boulder, attending Mass and participating in the Sacraments there until her health made it impossible. But the parish ministers continued to come to her, and she participated faithfully in the Rosary and the Eucharist. In the sanctuary of her room, she prayed faithfully each day for all of us.

She also brought to everyone she encountered her love of Italian opera. She had been “home-schooled” in the subject by her father, Corrado, an avid fan and amateur performer. She was most knowledgeable in the subject, recalling the words of famous arias and keeping up with performers until the end of her life.

Isabella will be deeply missed by her sisters, Nina Gadaleta and Flora Spadden, her brother, Luciano Spadavecchia, her sons, Paul (Lynn) and Lawrence (Sher), and daughter, Annette Fiedor; three grandchildren (Amy, Michael and Lisa); two step-grandchildren, Robert (Kelly) and Jennifer (Steven); three great-grandchildren (Emma, Alex and Andrew); six step-great-grandchildren (Will, Katherine, Caroline, Zoe, Elizabeth and Lucy).

Her kindness and strong spirit elicited love from so many, not only her immediate family, but extended family around the world, friends, and those who cared for her in her last years at Sunrise Senior Living in Boulder, Suncrest Hospice, and Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Boulder. Mass of Christian Burial, 10:30 am Friday March 18 at St. Mary’s Church. The family will receive friends Friday from 9:00-10:30 am at the church. Burial to follow at Calvary Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Mary’s Church, envelopes will be available at the church. Arrangements by the Westbrock Funeral Home, Wayne Ave.