Mary J Scarpelli

     Mary Joanna Scarpelli died peacfully on March 19th 2021, her daughter Rose Mary by her side. After ten years, she will be reunited with Nick, her beloved husband of 67 years.  Mary was born in Spokane, Washington on August 13, 1922. She was the eldest daughter of Vito and Virginia D’Assisi. A graduate of North Central High School, Mary loved school and was president of La Tortuga Spanish Club. She and Nick married in 1944. During WWII, Mary worked in administration at Fairchild Air Force base. After the war, Nick accepted a teaching position in Okanogan, and that is where they started their family. Once they returned to Spokane, Mary worked for thirty years at Kaiser Aluminum, Trentwood Works as a Chemical Lab Technician. Throughout her life, she volunteered for several nonprofit organizations including: Sacred Heart Hospital, St. Aloysius Church Ladies Auxiliary, Caring for Kids, and the Morning Star Boys Ranch.

     Mary fully engaged in life, cooking for the family, cheering her beloved Gonzaga University Basketball team, and providing endless support to all her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She was a voracious reader, loved to play Scrabble, and was an avid card player; indeed, she made sure even the youngest of her great-grandchildren knew the finer points of the Italian card game Scopa. She always looked forward to her birthday lunch groups with her close friends. Mary moved into Touchmark in 2013 where she met old acquaintances and formed many new friendships. She loved Touchmark’s weekly bridge games, monthly birthday dinners and other special events. She and Nick enjoyed many cruises and European trips with friends and relatives, and fifty-eight summers at the Loon Lake cabin surrounded by family. She fiercely loved each and every one of her 24 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

     Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Nick; her parents, Vito and Virginia D’Assisi; her brother, Larry D’Assisi, and Mary and Nick’s daughter, Virginia Scarpelli.  She leaves behind her sister Joyce Tripp, five children: Rose Mary Diedrick, Nick Scarpelli Jr. (Karly), Kathleen Scarpelli, Michael Scarpelli (Mima) and Julie Scarpelli (David Levin), as well as 14 Grandchildren and 10 Great Grandchildren.

     A funeral service will be held at St. Aloysius Church on Saturday April 17st @ 11:00 am. Memorial contributions can be made to the Nick and Mary Scarpelli Scholarship at Gonzaga Preparatory High School. http://gprep.com/mary You can also find this link by hovering over "Support Prep" on Gonzaga Prep’s homepage. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mary J Scarpelli, please visit our floral store.