Pearl T. Notartomaso

Pearl Notartomaso, 96, passed away on Thursday, September 27, 2018 at Cherry Creek Nursing Center. A native of Dickson City, PA, she was the daughter of the late John and Michaelena Gotlewski.

Apolonia Theresa Gotlewski (Pearl) was born of Polish immigrants in Dickson City, Pennsylvania on February 2, 1922. As a youngster, she led a difficult life as one of eight children in a coal-mining family. During her early years, she was often sent out to the woody hills of Pennsylvania to forage for mushrooms and huckleberries to supplement family meals. She and her siblings slept several to a bed, and on sticky summer nights, they often slept with their feet out the window to beat the heat.

Pearl was the first of her siblings to graduate from high school. After graduation, she moved to the Greenpoint neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York to join two of her brothers who had already moved to the city. There she found work at Metropolitan Cleaners. She met her husband, Nunzio Notartomaso during her time working at the dry-cleaning plant. They married on Valentine's Day in 1942. Nunzio enlisted in the army, and Pearl spent a short stint as an army wife. After her husband left the army due to illness, the couple returned to the city where they had their only daughter, Elaine, in December of 1945.

She and Nunzio co-owned and worked together in their own dry-cleaning store in Greenpoint. Following this, Pearl worked at the Leviton Manufacturing Company as an inspector of mercury switches. She retired from Leviton. Pearl was a 58-year member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local #3, which was a great source of pride for her. During her late eighties, she was invited to be honored as a 50-year member of the union, and travelled from Colorado back to New York to participate in this celebration.

During the prime of her life, Pearl loved to travel. She and her husband enjoyed trips to Hawaii and Las Vegas, as well as frequent travels to Atlantic City and to the Catskills of New York. By this time, Pearl had two grandchildren, MaryEllen and Tommy, whom she loved very much. She and Nunzio visited with them often, either travelling to their daughter Elaine and husband Tom's house to spend time, or having the grandchildren come to New York for visits, where they were treated to fabulous outings and adventures, fun with extended family and friends, and also spent plenty of time in church. Nunzio was fond of saying with a sly smile that Pearl could not pass by a Catholic church without paying a visit, and this was a fairly accurate statement.

In 1999, Pearl and her husband left their beloved Brooklyn and moved to Colorado to be closer to the family. Pearl lived at the Gardens of St. Elizabeth in Denver for nearly 20 years. There, she was active in social and church events and regularly volunteered to help with these activities. Pearl also acted as a ""red carpet lady"" assisting new residents of the Gardens. She was known to be a lively character, and never hesitated to share her thoughts with folks (regardless of their nature) and to let her needs be known.

One of her famous sayings was, ""It's not what you know, it's who you know."" Pearl knew many, many people during her long life, but through her faith, it was Jesus she knew best. Her faith in God and the love and care of her dedicated daughter Elaine carried her through many challenges in her later years. Many times over she emerged from what seemed dire and hopeless circumstances, with her convictions and her spirited nature intact.

On the evening of Thursday, September 27^th, Pearl's prayers were answered when Jesus called her home. No doubt she was met by her own red-carpet committee including her husband, parents, every one of her siblings, saints, angels, and many other family members and friends who had gone on before her, all of whom she dearly missed. Finally, now, her body and soul rests in peace.

 

In addition to her parents Pearl was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Nunzio Notartomaso; son-in-law, Thomas B. Corcoran; great-grandchild, Chestin Karnas; siblings, Martin, Stanley & John Gotlewski, Sophie Filipski, Genevieve Filipski, Eva Brozdowski, Ann Grochowski; and niece, Michaelene Day.

She leaves behind to cherish her memory her loving daughter, Elaine Notartomaso Corcoran; grandchildren, Mary Ellen Karnas (F. Chet Karnas) and Tom Corcoran (Violeta Hernandez-Duran); great grandchildren, Mason Karnas, Peter Karnas, Harley Karnas, Izaak Corcoran-Krasko and Skylar Karnas, as well as great-great-grandchildren; nephews and nieces, Tina Lasewicz, Walter Filipski, Eugene Gotlewski, Joy Davitt, Chrissy Lasewicz, Tasha Kucharski, Lisa Benson, Ann Roberti and Suzanne Aseltyne; sister-in-law Dolrita Spinella and many others.

In lieu of flowers, charitable contributions may be made to:

St. Vincent de Paul Society

c/o St. Michael the Archangel Church

19099 East Floyd Ave.

Aurora, CO 80013-3703

(or to a charity of your choice)

 

A recitation of the rosary will be conducted at 6:00 PM on Thursday, October 11, 2018, in the Horan & McConaty Family Chapel, 11150 E. Dartmouth Ave., Aurora, CO 80014. A funeral mass to honor the life of Pearl Notartomaso will be conducted at 11:00 AM, Friday, October 12, 2018 at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, 19099 E. Floyd Ave., Aurora, CO 80013. A reception will follow in the church reception hall. A graveside and committal service will be conducted on Monday, October 15, 2018 at 2:00 PM at Fort Logan National Cemetery. Those wishing to attend should assemble at 1:50 PM at staging area A.

www.HoranCares.com

Rosary: October 11, 2018 6:00 pm

Horan & McConaty - SE Denver/Aurora
11150 E. Dartmouth Ave.
Aurora, CO 80014

Funeral Mass: October 12, 2018 11:00 am

St. Michael the Archangel
19099 E. Floyd Ave.
Aurora, CO 80013
3036906797
http://stmichael-aurora.org/

Reception: October 12, 2018 12:00 pm

St. Michael the Archangel
19099 E. Floyd Ave.
Aurora, CO 80013
3036906797
http://stmichael-aurora.org/

Graveside Service: October 15, 2018 2:00 pm

Fort Logan National Cemetery
3698 South Sheridan Boulevard
Denver, CO 80236
(303) 761-0117
https://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/ftlogan.asp