Vita West

Vita West, 73, of Aldina Drive, Conneaut Lake, died Saturday, September 06, 2008 at the Cleveland Clinic following a brief and courageous battle with leukemia.

She was born in Meadville March 26, 1935 a daughter of Salvadore (Sam) and Mary Ogello Rappa.  She married Donald R. West and he preceded her in death December 20, 1980.

She worked in the meat department of the A&P and Kroger Grocery Stores in Meadville.  She then owned and operated Vita’s Stop & Go Sub Shop in Titusville.  She also worked in the meat department of Quality Markets in Titusville and did clerical work at Tico Oil Co. also of Titusville for many years.  She was an inspiration and touched many lives after miraculously surviving Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2000.  At the time her doctors gave her only a few weeks to live, and by the grace of God she became cancer free.

She was a member of St. Mary of Grace Roman Catholic Church and its Altar & Rosary Society.  She was a former member of Titusville Order of Eastern Star and a former member of the Italian Civic Club Auxiliary.  She enjoyed dancing, cooking (particularly her special meatballs), but most importantly spending time with her family and grandchildren.

Survivors, include a son, Ronald E. West and his wife Vickie of Meadville; two daughters, Dianna A. West and Donita M. West both of Conneaut Lake; a sister, Mary Damico and her husband Michael of Phoenix, AZ; three brothers, James Rappa and his wife Phyllis of Meadville, Thomas Rappa and his wife Sandy of Meadville and Ben Rappa and his wife Erika of Orlando, FL; four grandchildren, Nicole R. Skias, Joshua R. West, Cory Siegrist and Erin Siegrist; one great grandson, Vincenzo S. Skias; one brother-in-law, Peter Damico of Conneaut Lake; two step grandchildren, Ashley Smith and Kyle Smith, several nieces, nephews and cousins and Aimee N. Day of Titusville, whom she helped raise and thought of as a grandchild.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by a brother, Frank Rappa; a sister, Josephine Damico and a grandson, Donald R. West II.

Calling hours will be Monday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at the Waid-Coleman Funeral Home, Inc., 12422 Conneaut Lake Road, Conneaut Lake with a Scripture Prayer Service at 8:45 p.m.

Mass of Christian Burial will be Tuesday at 10 a.m. at St. Mary of Grace Church, 1085 Water Street, Meadville with Fr. Richard Toohey as Celebrant.

Following cremation a private family burial will be in St. Brigid Cemetery.

The family suggests memorials be made to the American Red Cross, Allegheny Region Chapter, 890 Market Street, Meadville, PA 16335.