Sharon Louise Calautti

It is with sorrow filled peace that we announce the passing of our mother, Sharon L. Tolerico Calautti, 73, of Jessup, formerly of Carbondale, who died May 5 at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia, after a sudden illness. She was predeceased by her ex-husband, Frederick F. Tolerico Sr., of Carbondale, who died in 1992; and husband, Frank Calautti, who died in 2009.

Born in Carbondale on May 8, 1944, daughter of the late Kenneth and Ruth (Denner) Misner, she graduated from Benjamin Franklin High School in Carbondale, and later in life attended the University of Scranton. Mom was a hard worker all her life, working in several local restaurants as a young teenager, and as was often the case in simpler times, she misrepresented her age in order to obtain a job at Skytop Resort. She returned to the work force after we were all in school, starting with Zazzera’s Food Market in Carbondale, and later became an advertising salesperson for the Wayne Independent in Honesdale. Mom then moved on to become a district representative for the National Federation of Independent Business.

Blessed with a pleasant disposition and a dogged determination, she won numerous awards during her 25-year career, including achieving President’s Club status multiple times, and she also earned promotions to field trainer and district manager. Her crowning achievement was her induction as a distinguished member of the N.F.I.B. Hall of Fame, an accomplishment of which she was extremely proud, as were we.

Mom was also a prolific volunteer fund raiser for the American Heart Association, and in honor of her efforts, she was named Volunteer of the Year in acknowledgment of her efforts. 

A founding member of the Panorama Ladies Golf league, mom thoroughly enjoyed the friendly but competitive spirit of the matches and the friendships she developed while playing the game she loved. She also enjoyed playing golf with her sons and laughed hysterically at the antics we often displayed. Mom loved music and had a beautiful singing voice, and she had no qualms about breaking into song no matter where she was, sometimes to the chagrin of the melodically challenged people who were with her. Mom also liked to go to lunch or dinner, and to visit the casino with her friends. She was a bit of a card shark and enjoyed playing with her friends, even wiping them out the last time they played. Most of all, Mom loved being a grandmother and spending time with her family.  

Mom overcame many obstacles and endured much heartache during her lifetime, and yet she remained the wonderful person she was. Even though we shared and recalled many memories during her illness, like everyone who has suffered the loss of a loved one, we wish that we had taken better advantage of the precious limited time that God grants to all of us. We lament the loss of opportunity to share with our mom one more hug, one more kiss, one more thought, one more smile, one more meaningful conversation, and one more opportunity to learn more about who she was, because this time, tomorrow didn’t come.

Sharon is survived by son, Frederick F. Tolerico Jr. and wife, Laurie, of Carbondale; son, Stephen J. Tolerico and wife, Stephanie, of Clarks Summit; grandchildren, Kristi and husband, Dr. Jonathan Browning, of Philadelphia; Frederick F. Tolerico III and Dominick S. Tolerico, of Carbondale; Gabrielle and Stefan Tolerico, of Clarks Summit; and Douglas and Alexander Burkitt, of Newman, Calif., the children of our beloved late sister, Marcie. Also surviving are her brother, Phillip Fabiano and wife, Carmen, of Lubbock, Texas; her sister-in-law, Bernadette Imperiale, of Carbondale; and numerous nieces and nephews. We must also mention that Mom had numerous wonderful friends, including her best friends, Claire Kacer, Gloria Kucharski and Anna Marie Tomsykoski.

Mom was preceded in death by her daughter, Anne Marcel (Marcie) Tolerico Burkitt; brother, Kenneth Misner; sister, Betty Florek; and brother-in-law, Carmine Imperiale.

We want to thank Allie, Candace, Josh and the remaining nurses and aides at Geisinger Community Medical Center, and also Steve, Brittney and the remaining nurses and aides at UPenn Hospital, for their wonderful compassion and support while attending to our mother during her illness.

The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday , May 11, at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 15 Fallbrook St., Carbondale. The viewing will be at the church from 10 a.m. until the time of Mass. Interment will be private and at the convenience of the family.  

In lieu of flowers, anyone wishing to make a donation in Sharon’s name is encouraged to support the American Lung Association of Northeast Pa., 700 Vine St., Scranton, PA 18510; the American Cancer Society, 712 S. Keyser Ave., Taylor, PA 18517; or any other charity of their choice.

For online condolences, visit www.hudak-osheafuneralhome.com.