Olga Frontino, nee D’Amico, 90, of Westmont, NJ, wife of the late Rosario Louis Frontino passed peacefully January 23.  She is survived by her 5 children, son Louis (Anne), daughters Julie (Bill), Anna (Wayne), Loretta (Scott), and Mary Ellen (Doug), 12 grandchildren, Christine Frontino-Habrahamshon, Jennifer Frontino Colleluori, Margot Horwitz Chauncey, Olivia, Zach, Chelsea, Jarrett, Jordan, Colin, Emilie, Adam, and Tyler, and 4 great grandchildren, Briana, Robert, Sara and Louie

Olga was born and raised in South Philadelphia.  She was a talented seamstress and in 1946 married Lou, the man of her dreams.  They quickly started a family and broke tradition by moving to the suburbs in 1954.

Widowed too young with five young children to care for, she was a force of determination and spirit.  She worked at Printing Services of Philadelphia, and raised her family in Westmont.  Olga later worked as a processor for Fox & Lazo Realtors and eventually moved the family to Cherry Hill, NJ.  In later years she worked at Ellenby Technologies with her son Lou and at Platypus Productions with her daughter Anna.

Her seamstress skills were legendary – from knitting wool scarves to sewing her daughters’ and granddaughters’ wedding gowns, she loved making clothes for her family.  However, she was most appreciated by the never-ending parade of teenage girls who spent the night for sleepovers and had their ears pierced with pinpoint precision and speed. 

Olga was also a talented “wooden spoonist”, occasionally waving one with great skill and dexterity to instill proper behavior in her five frisky kids and later to stir up the most delicious batches of crabs and spaghetti this side of 10th & Tasker.  During holidays her spoon would mix batter for homemade cookies, pizzelles, red velvet cakes and Easter bread.

Olga and Lou, children of immigrants, were descendants of a long line of proud Italian families (Frontino, D’Amico, Ferrante, Martucci) dating back hundreds of years.  That rich lineage was abruptly shattered when she allowed her son and four beautiful daughters to marry people whose names ended in consonants. She did, however, gain five more children who all loved her and called her Mom.

 In a recent survey, Olga was ranked as the WORLD’S GREATEST BABYSITTER by her grandchildren, having provided years of hugs, back scratches and delicious treats in deplorable excess.

She was the rock of the family.  Her passing leaves a huge hole.  But friends and her large, ever-growing family (more great-grandchildren!) will quickly fill it with warm memories.  When you close your eyes, you can smell them…“Grandmom’s” pancakes…Sicilian pizzas…homemade waffles & ice cream.

Olga’s family would like to thank her caregivers at the Lutheran Home in Moorestown, NJ, for the wonderful comfort they provided (word has it that Olga’s smile made her a favorite). 

A Mass will be held at 10:00 am, Saturday, Feb. 21 at St. Peter Celestine Church in Christ Our Light Parish at 402 N. Kings Highway, Cherry Hill NJ 08034.  The family will receive friends from 8:30 am to 9:45 am in the church.  

Her memory can be honored with a donation to the Alzheimer Foundation or the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.