Gilberta Acquaviva

Thursday, July 24, 2008
AQUAVIVA

Gilberta "Jill" Lorene Gillespie Acquaviva, of Frankfort, Ky., formerly of Greencastle, and Griffith Lake, Milford, Del., joined her heavenly family on Tuesday, June 24, 2008 in Frankfort Regional Hospital, Frankfort, after a brief illness. She was 83.

Mrs. Acquaviva was born on Aug. 12, 1924 in Bigelow, Minn. She was the eldest daughter of the late Edith Gertrude Westfall Gillespie Walters and Clayton Clarence Gillespie.

She traveled throughout the United States and Europe, accompanying her late husband, Onorio (Acq) Acquaviva, Col., USAF, on his Air Force assignments. Jill loved gardening, animals, lakes, knitting, music (especially opera), theatre, crossword puzzles, playing bridge and Nit Wit, and her family.

She was a member of Avenue Methodist Church in Milford, Del., and the Order of the Eastern Star.

Mrs. Acquaviva was preceded in death by her beloved husband Onorio, her son Michael Clayton Acquaviva, her daughter Lynn Michelle Acquaviva, her son James Frederick Acquaviva, and her sister Celeste Gillespie Chalfont Yarnell.

She is survived by her sister, Donna Gillespie Fricke of Hancock, Maine, her five grandchildren, Pamela D. Acquaviva Kalbfleisch of Louisville, Ky., James F. Acquaviva II of Beaver Dam, Ky., Catherine J. Acquaviva Green of Franklin, Tenn., Elizabeth M. Simon Cadorette of Alexandria, Va., and Carl R. Simon II of Fairfax, Va., her 12 great-grandchildren, and her dear friends Patricia A. Acquaviva Parke and Al C. Parke of Frankfort, Ky., who cared for her.

A memorial service and interment will be held at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., on Aug. 18, 2008 at 3 p.m. Local arrangements were managed by Harrod Brothers Funeral Home in Frankfort, Ky.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial gifts be made to the Alzheimer's Association at www.alz.org or to the Kent County, Delaware Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Shelter at www.kentcounty spca.com/donate