Lucille Marie Di Giorgio, a longtime staff member of the Rye Free Reading Room and of the Milton Elementary School Library, passed away at her home in Port Chester, surrounded by her family, on July 6, 2020 after a long illness. She was 90.

 

She was born on October 16, 1929 in Rome, N.Y. to William and Agnes (Street) Dion. Shortly after graduating from high school in 1947, her family moved to Rye.

 

In 1951, she married William E. Hagele, who later became Rye’s Chief of Police. She married Louis P. Di Giorgio in 1980. They recently celebrated their 40^th wedding anniversary.

 

Lucille Di Giorgio was a friendly fixture at the front desk of the Rye Free Reading Room, who always greeted patrons warmly. Before coming to the Rye library, she worked at the Milton School Library. On Memorial Day 2009 she received the Americanism Award in recognition of her many years of service to the Rye community.

 

She was a lifelong fan of the New York Yankees and a regular at Poppy’s Café in Rye.

 

She is survived by her devoted husband Louis; her loving daughter Debbie Hagele Dianni (James) of Rye; her brother William Dion of Rye; four grandchildren: Kate Uhl (Brian) of Stamford, Conn., Kelly and Casey Dianni of Rye, and Michael Hagele of Littleton, Colo.; two great-grandchildren, Emily and William Uhl of Stamford; her daughter-in-law Lynn Hagele of Littleton, Colo., her brother and sister-in-law, Sal and Roseanne Di Giorgio of Port Chester; her stepchildren Debbie Di Giorgio (Arni Albero) of Cos Cob, Conn. and Louis Di Giorgio of Georgia; several step-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

 

She was predeceased by her beloved son, William E. Hagele Jr., of Colorado, her dear brother, Robert Dion (Sigrid) of Austin, and her sister-in-law and close friend, Betty Dion of Rye.

 

The family would like to thank Visiting Angels of White Plains, Calvary Hospital Hospice of the Bronx, and close family friend Susan Trumm Weaver, RN of Armonk.

 

Donations in her memory may be made to Calvary Hospital, (Att: Calvary Fund), 1740 Eastchester Road, Bronx, NY 10461.