Lydia Spampinato

Lydia Scarlata was born in Caltanesetta Sicily on April 5, 1939 to the parents of Luigi and Mary Scarlata.  Lydia was the youngest of three daughters and is survived by her two sisters, Prudence (Iole) Sanguedolce and Josie LaCommare.  Lydia’s father passed away in 1970 and her mother passed in 1989.  Lydia overcame challenge and adversity at an early age.  Her sisters remember a small coffin sitting under Lydia’s crib, as they did not expect her to survive her infancy.  Lydia spent much of her early childhood living in a convent where she learned how to sew from the nuns.  Lydia’s Sicilian landscape and experiences were shaped by the events of WWII.

Lydia flourished as a young, beautiful woman.  In 1955, she moved to Rochester, New York at the age of 16.  She sailed on the Andrea Dorea one year to the date, before it sank off the cost of New York.  In 1957, Lydia met her lifelong partner, Sam, who also grew up in Sicily.  Sam and Lydia married on October 24, 1959.  They remained together for 58 years until Sam’s passing in November 2017. 

The day after their honeymoon, Sam and Lydia moved to Baltimore and quickly started a family.  Ten months later, their first son, Anthony, was born.  Fifteen months later, Louis arrived, and four years later Patrick was born. In October of 1971, the Spampinato family relocated to West Covina California to join Lydia’s sisters and their families.

Using her incredible skills as a seamstress, thanks to the nuns in Sicily, Lydia hand-crafted many articles of clothing and furnishings in the household.  In the 1970s, she went to work for Macy’s department store in the alterations department and worked her way up to alterations manager, where she enjoyed a 33-year career that transitioned to the Macy’s in South Coast plaza after Sam and Lydia relocated to Orange County California.

Lydia was the quintessential Italian mother to everyone she encountered.  She loved to cook, sew, entertain, travel, and converse.  Lydia maintained a strong sense of family and faith throughout her life.  In 2003, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.  Lydia rose to this challenge, educated herself, and immersed herself into the survivor community with the same tenacity as she did in all areas of her life.

Lydia remained close to her sisters throughout her life.  Family and extended family were always the priority.  Anthony, Louis, and Patrick married Teri, Tamara, and Tracey, respectively, and grew the next generation of the Spampinato family.  Sam and Lydia cherished being Papa and Nana to their seven grandchildren Alex, Branden, Christiana, Dominique, Samantha, Sydney, and Jillian, three of whom are now married.  Alex married Lyndsay, Christiana married Kris, and Dominique married Adam.  Recently Lydia learned she would be great-grandmother to Calum Cardoza, expected this spring.

Lydia passed away after a long battle with cancer on January 12, 2019.  Throughout all of life’s challenges, she lived her life with Grace, Beauty, Faith, and Love.  She will be remembered fondly by a great many people and she will be missed in the cancer survivor community and her church community.  Lydia will be forever missed as Mom, Sister, Favorite Aunt, and the Best Nana ever.

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