Beloved member of Rutland's Italian American community lit up every space she entered
Gloria Jean (Pratico) Abatiell, 90, of Rutland, Vt., died peacefully on December 17, 2022, at the Rutland Regional Medical Center, surrounded by her five children, their spouses and many grandchildren. Gloria was born on February 17, 1932, in Rutland, Vt., to Natale and Catherine (Fucci) Pratico, who immigrated to Rutland from southern Italy at a young age. Gloria grew up with her six siblings in the Italian American community in Rutland. For over 60 years, the Pratico family was known for operating Pratico’s Greenhouse and Flower Shop, next door to Gloria’s childhood home. As the youngest, she outlived her four brothers and two sisters and missed them dearly later in life. Having survived the Great Depression, WWII, the 1970s and everything in between, the seven Pratico siblings are back together again. Gloria graduated from Rutland High School in 1951 and married the love of her life, Clement Abatiell, on June 5, 1954. They spent 59 loving years together, raising their five children at 100 Oak Street and smothering their 12 grandchildren with affection for years to follow. In addition to raising five children, Gloria was well known throughout Rutland for the 20-plus years that she worked for First Vermont Bank. She made many lifelong friends from her bank community. Gloria cherished her summer vacations with Clem in Maine and her many winter seasons in Naples, Fla. Some of her best memories were with old and new friends in Florida. They loved to visit their children in Burlington, Mass., and Maine. However, Gloria did not need to go far to be happy. She found comfort going for fall foliage drives, outings to Manchester, and frequenting garage and estate sales with her lifelong Rutland friends. Wherever Gloria went, a good bargain created a big smile. Although she had many interests, nothing compared to the love she had for her family and friends. Nothing made her happier than cramming as many loved ones as possible into her small kitchen and spoiling them with endless servings of sauce, meatballs and sweet treats for the kids. Her joy of providing for those she loved sustained her throughout her life. She treated everyone with the same love and affection, whether merely a stranger or lifelong friend. After Clem’s passing, she spent the final chapter of her life in the Maples Senior Living community, where she was a source of joy for all, flooding the halls…
Beloved member of Rutland's Italian American community lit up every space she entered
Gloria Jean (Pratico) Abatiell, 90, of Rutland, Vt., died peacefully on December 17, 2022, at the Rutland Regional Medical Center, surrounded by her five children, their spouses and many grandchildren. Gloria was born on February 17, 1932, in Rutland, Vt., to Natale and Catherine (Fucci) Pratico, who immigrated to Rutland from southern Italy at a young age. Gloria grew up with her six siblings in the Italian American community in Rutland. For over 60 years, the Pratico family was known for operating Pratico’s Greenhouse and Flower Shop, next door to Gloria’s childhood home. As the youngest, she outlived her four brothers and two sisters and missed them dearly later in life. Having survived the Great Depression, WWII, the 1970s and everything in between, the seven Pratico siblings are back together again. Gloria graduated from Rutland High School in 1951 and married the love of her life, Clement Abatiell, on June 5, 1954. They spent 59 loving years together, raising their five children at 100 Oak Street and smothering their 12 grandchildren with affection for years to follow. In addition to raising five children, Gloria was well known throughout Rutland for the 20-plus years that she worked for First Vermont Bank. She made many lifelong friends from her bank community. Gloria cherished her summer vacations with Clem in Maine and her many winter seasons in Naples, Fla. Some of her best memories were with old and new friends in Florida. They loved to visit their children in Burlington, Mass., and Maine. However, Gloria did not need to go far to be happy. She found comfort going for fall foliage drives, outings to Manchester, and frequenting garage and estate sales with her lifelong Rutland friends. Wherever Gloria went, a good bargain created a big smile. Although she had many interests, nothing compared to the love she had for her family and friends. Nothing made her happier than cramming as many loved ones as possible into her small kitchen and spoiling them with endless servings of sauce, meatballs and sweet treats for the kids. Her joy of providing for those she loved sustained her throughout her life. She treated everyone with the same love and affection, whether merely a stranger or lifelong friend. After Clem’s passing, she spent the final chapter of her life in the Maples Senior Living community, where she was a source of joy for all, flooding the halls…