Maria (Pellegrino) Coulombe

The party is over and the kitchen is closed. Maria passed away peacefully in her sleep on Sunday, September 15, 2024. 

Maria Pellegrino Coulombe was born on December 9th, 1937.  She was born to Dominic Pellegrino and Angelina Olivadoti in Utica, New York.  Maria spent her early years as a nurse at Saint Elizabeth’s Hospital.  She soon met her husband Richard Coulombe. They married in March of 1963 and spent the next sixty-one years together.  After relocating to Connecticut, she had a career in hairdressing, teaching and drug and alcohol counseling. The role she cherished most was being a mother, which brought her to the West Coast to spend her remaining years close to her daughters, Andrea and Johanna, and her grand dogs, Charlie, Finley and Guinness. 

Forty years were spent in Connecticut, combined with six of her favorite years in Toulouse, France.  For the past twenty years, Maria had lived in Suquamish, WA, spending winters in Las Vegas.  She left a trail of friends who became extended family in each location.

Maria is survived by her husband, Richard J. Coulombe of Suquamish WA; daughters, Andrea Confalone of Seattle WA and Johanna Perri of Edmonds WA; and her beloved pug, Peaches.  She leaves behind her brother, Donald Pellegrino of Clearwater Florida; brother from another mother, Anthony Pellegrino of Utica, New York; sisters-in-law, Simone Higgins of Florida, Evelyn Fitzpatrick of North Carolina, Claudette LaChance of Dover, New Hampshire; nieces and nephews,  D. Victor, Victor,  Angela, Cosmo (Jr), Michael, Doug, Lori, Darlene, Donna, Vincent, Christopher, Deanna and Carolyn, as well as, their spouses and children, whom she loved as her own. She was predeceased by her son, Eddie George III; her parents; and brother, Cosmo Pellegrino Sr.

She leaves a multitude of beloved cousins in Seattle, New York, Pennsylvania and California. She prided herself in taking on the role of the matriarch of the Pellegrino family and the Queen Mother on the West Coast. If you knew Maria, she loved you. There are so many people we would like to name, but, there are far too many.

Entertaining was her life and her home was open for all.  Nothing pleased Maria more than having a full house full of guests eating, laughing and having fun. She leaves many friends in the Connecticut, Poulsbo, Bainbridge Island and Suqamish area, as well as, her extended family in Toulouse, France.  

Maria was born and raised Catholic and made her most recent pilgrimage to Lourdes, France in the summer of 2023, bringing back the healing waters for those she loved.   Maria was a devoted parishioner of St Cecilia’s Catholic Church on Bainbridge Island, WA and had a dear friend in Father Mark Kiszelewski. 

We can’t stress how much Maria hated indoor flowers.  We kindly ask In lieu of arrangements, to consider donating to St. Jude’s Hospital at stjude.org

Relatives and friends are invited to attend her interment service on Friday, May, 16, 2025, 11 a.m., at Calvary Cemetery in Utica.

Local arrangements are with The Matt Funeral Home, Utica, NY.

Heaven, watch out!  Maria is on the way!!

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