Phyllis Ann (Longo) Serapilio

Phyllis Ann Longo Serapilio passed away peacefully in her Guilderland home surrounded by her loving family on Wednesday, November 13, 2019. She would have been 97-years-old on her next birthday. Phyllis, lovingly known as Nana, was born on December, 1, 1922 in Bridgeport, Connecticut to Laura Alena Longo and Joseph Longo. She was the oldest of their four children and is predeceased by her parents and her brothers, Philip and John, and her beloved sisters-in-law, Claire and Miriam. Nana moved with her mother and younger brothers, Philip and Salvatore (“Sam”), to Schenectady, NY when she was an adolescent. She graduated from Nott Terrace High School and worked at General Electric and the Peanut Shop, where she was the manager. Nana met the love of her life, Thomas C. Serapilio, when she was a teenager. They shared 27-years of marriage until he passed away in 1971. Phyllis is survived by her two daughters and sons-in-law, Janice and James Zebrowski and Joanne and Robert Breden, and grandchildren David Zebrowski (father of great-grandsons Michael, Matthew & John), Laura Zebrowski Assaf (wife of Michael, mother of Will & Danny Gibney), Jeremy Breden (husband of Katie, father of Declan & Finn), Jaime Zebrowski Murray (wife of Bill, mother of Estella & Phyllisa), and Joshua Breden (father of Abigail & Benjamin). She is also survived by her brother Sam, her nephews John B. Longo, Thomas Longo, and John J. Longo, her nieces Katherine Longo Dallessandro and Deborah Longo True, and their families. She is also survived by many cherished friends and members of the Serapilio family. Nana was best known for her unwavering faith. She was a communicant of St. Madeleine Sophie Parish, where she enjoyed many close friendships and prayerful experiences. Her favorite pastimes were playing the piano by ear for friends and family and having coffee with “the girls” from church after morning mass. She was an avid reader and loved movies and television. She especially enjoyed family gatherings, holidays, and partaking in her grandchildren’s and great-grandchildren’s sporting, music, and school events. Nana will be forever remembered by her adoring family and friends for teaching them kindness, loyalty, generosity, compassion, appreciation of art and music, the power of prayer, the importance of seeing the good in everyone, the love of animals, and how to take joy in the simple things such as Sunday dinners, a good book, roses, and chocolates. It has been said that people do not always remember what you said or what you did, but they always remember how you made them feel. Our Nana made everyone feel like he or she was the most important person in the room. Nana’s life and legacy will be celebrated at a mass of Christian burial at St. Madeleine’s Sophie Church on Monday, November 18, 2019 at 10:00am. A viewing will take place the day before, on Sunday, November 17, 2019, from 3:00pm - 6:00pm, also at St. Madeleine Sophie Church. Internment will be at St. John’s Cemetery in Schenectady, NY. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Nana’s honor to Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) in recognition of her two recipient great-grandsons, Will & Toshi II and Michael & Jay III, or to Community Hospice. Nana’s family would like to thank and honor Community Hospice for the loving and spiritual care provided by their incredible angels on earth during Nana’s final days. Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) Miller Family Campus 286 Middle Island Road Medford, NY 11763 The Community Hospice 445 New Karner Road Albany, NY 12205