Dominica Sineni

Dominica “Mary” Sineni (Vallone) died peacefully, surrounded by her family on February 9, 2016 in Saint Paul, Minnesota, following a short illness. She was 99 years old. Mary was born on February 2, 1917 in Chicago, Illinois to her parents, Giuseppe and Agnes (Lucchese) Vallone. Mary was the youngest of six children.  She graduated high school and attended Schurz Evening Junior College.  Mary worked at Kraft foods in Chicago and then at the New York Port Authority during World War II. She married Fred Sineni on May 29, 1954 and moved to Michigan. Mary and Fred owned a small truck farm in Riverside and helped with her father-in-law’s farm down the road. Mary loved having her family and friends visit them on the farm. She worked as a teaching assistant at Pier School in Hagar Township and Coloma Community Schools for many years as well. Following retirement, she and Fred enjoyed traveling to visit relatives, and nights out for soup and a sandwich to people watch at the local restaurants. Mary moved to Woodbury Villa in 2014 to be near her son and daughter-in-law. Mary was an extraordinary baker who loved to share her creations with family and loved ones especially at Christmas time. We always looked forward to a box of Christmas cookies every year. Baking cookies was a  tradition she continued when she moved to Woodbury with her son, Frank, now acting as her assistant. She held many traditional Sicilian pastry and cookie recipes passed down from her mother and aunts. Mary’s kitchen was her domain and no guest dared leave “Aunt Mary’s Kitchen” hungry. She was a caretaker for Fred as he battled dementia and for anyone she knew and loved. Her faith was important to her. She hosted seminary students in her apartment for discussions about religion, most times over a plate of cookies or spaghetti and meatballs. Mary read voraciously. It was a habit she learned from her brother Tony when she was young. She sometimes read 4 or 5 books in a week often borrowing boxes of books from her good friend, Linda. Mary is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Frank and Tina (Eyler) Sineni of Woodbury, Minnesota, her loving granddaughter Angela Dearman of St. Joseph and many cousins, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Fred; her father and mother; her brothers Vito, Anthony and Jerome (Jim); and her sister Rose. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 10:00 A.M. Monday, February 15  at St. John’s Catholic Church, 600 Columbus Ave., Benton Harbor, where she was a member.  Fr. German Perez-Diaz will be the Celebrant.  Burial will follow at North Shore Memory Gardens in Coloma.  Friends may visit with the family from 3:00 until 6:00 P.M. Sunday at Starks & Menchinger Chapel, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph.  Liturgical Prayers will be recited at 5:30 P.M. Sunday at the funeral home.  Reading was such an important part of Mary’s life the family asks in lieu of flowers, please donate to the Lake Michigan Catholic School Library or the children’s library of your choice.  Those wishing to sign Mary’s Memory Book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com.