Yolanda Garavaglia

Clinton Township resident Yolanda Garavaglia, 94, enjoyed being independent and living in her home, until she passed away peacefully on February 2, at Henry Ford Hospital in Clinton Township, Michigan.

Family was everything to Yolanda, and she devoted her life to her husband Joe, whom she was married for 50 years, her three children and their spouses, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

Yolanda was born in Detroit on August 10, 1925 to Angela (Allegrati) and Emil Airoldi, who immigrated to the U.S. from San Antonino, Italy, a small town north of Milan (Lombardy region).

She attended Assumption Grotto and St. Elizabeth Elementary schools in Detroit and graduated from Miller High School. After graduating from high school, Yolanda worked for Blue Cross Blue Shield and married Joseph Garavaglia in 1947. They lived in the Eastern Market area of Detroit until they built a home of their own on Eastwood Street in 1950 where they raised three sons.

She is preceded in death by her husband Joseph, her sister Henrietta and brother-in-law Clarence Cereska, and her sister Mary Airoldi; and survived by her children Paul Garavaglia (Cathy LaDuke), Alan Garavaglia (Susan), and Mark Garavaglia (Marilyn), five grandchildren, and two great grandchildren, several nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews.

Yolanda was a dedicated homemaker and devoted her life to making people’s life a little easier by sharing her love in preparing a meal, which quite often included chicken and pasta or polenta, her special pound cake or cookies. She was a member of the Lombardi Women’s Society of Detroit group and the rapport club at St. Jude’s Catholic Church in Detroit, and she was also a member of the senior’s group of Clinton Township.

She was a member of San Francesco Catholic Church, formerly of Detroit and a member of St. Paul Tarsus, Clinton Township.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, February 5 from 4pm to 8pm with the rosary at 7 p.m. at Bagnasco & Calcaterra Funeral Home, 13650 E. 15 Mile Road, Sterling Heights. Instate Thursday, February 6 at 9:30am until the time of Mass 10:00am at San Francesco Catholic Church, 22870 S. Nunneley Road, Clinton Township. Interment at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Detroit. Memorial contributions may be made to San Francesco Catholic Church.