WATERBURY — Celia (Sacks) Guisti, 93, passed away peacefully on Sept. 10, 2013 at Wolcott View Manor.
A lifelong resident of Waterbury, she was affectingly known as Granny to her family and Ceil to her friends. She was the daughter of the late Louis and Katherine (Blick) Sacks.
She graduated Crosby High School and went on to work at various jobs until she married and became a homemaker to her children. She was married for 20 years to Michael Guisti until his passing.
During the last 20 years of her work career, she was employed as a sales rep for Arlan’s until their closing and then Two Guys until their closing.
Ceil suffered a stroke back in 2001 and went to live at Wolcott View. She was very active there, always participating in her favorite game of bingo. Twice weekly she would never miss a game. When they had “Las Vegas” week, you would see her at the blackjack and horseracing games.
She also managed to take a few trips each year to Mohegan Sun, where she could play forever at the “Slots.”
Ceil’s passion was her family and the UConn Huskies. She was always there for her family, babysitting her grandchildren as they grew up. She loved watching UConn basketball, both the men and women’s teams, and her room at Wolcott View was displayed as a shrine to their success.
Ceil was predeceased by her sister Dorothy Barbieri, and is survived by her son Gregory Guisti and his wife Nancy, of Waterbury; her daughter Gale (Guisti) Ciavarella and her husband Rocco, of Waterbury; three grandchildren, Chris Guisti and his wife Marta, of Norwich, Carey (Guisti) Bellagamba and her husband Brian, of Watertown and Chad Guisti and his wife Kate, of Waterbury.
Ceil also leaves behind four great-grandchildren, Olivia Grella, Juliana Bellagamba, Maia Guisti and Evan Guisti and a nephew James Barbieri and his wife Leslie, of Wolcott and their children, Clayton and James III.
The family would like to thank the staff of Wolcott View Manor who looked after her all these years. They were Ceil’s second family, and Alisa of the Hospice HOPE Team, who provided outstanding care and support during her final days.
A private graveside service for the immediate family will be held on Thursday in Hebrew Benefit Cemetery, Stillson Road, Waterbury. There will be no calling hours. The Alderson Funeral Home of Waterbury, 9 Holmes Ave., is in charge of arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Wolcott View Manor Patient Activity Fund, 50 Beach Road, Wolcott, CT 06716, for use with their programs that Ceil enjoyed so much.
For further information, to send an online condolence or to light a memorial candle, go to www.aldersonfuneralhomes.com
From The Waterbury Republican-American
