Darlene Elizabeth Gruttadaro [Duckitt] of Rochester, NY, passed away peacefully on March 15, 2025, surrounded by family.  

Darlene was born in Rochester, NY, to Harry and Elizabeth Duckitt on July 14, 1931. She graduated from West High School in Rochester, NY, and, as a young woman, was crowned Rochester Rose Queen. Darlene studied at Oswego State College and Rochester Business Institute.  

Darlene is predeceased by her beloved husband, Gabriel William Gruttadaro. She is survived by daughter, Dana (Dan) O’Halloran – grandchildren Amy, Maggie and Erin, son, Galin (Denise) Gruttadaro – grandchildren Adam and Gabby, daughter, Dennise (Charlie Cacciato) Gruttadaro – grandchildren Justin, Laura and Chris, daughter, Darcy (George Seff) Gruttadaro – grandchildren Alex and Elie, daughter, Amy (Richard Levy) Gruttadaro – grandchildren Denise, Emma and Jonah, and daughter, Michele (Conor) Twomey – grandchildren Chloe and Gabrielle.  Darlene is survived by eight adored great-grandchildren. 

She also enjoyed spending time with her many nieces and nephews at family gatherings and celebrations.  

Our beloved Darlene was incredibly gifted in so many ways. When we were young, she started sewing and quickly became an expert creating increasingly intricate and lovely clothes for us. She then moved onto creating lovely, quilted wall hangings with an extraordinary eye for color, flow and finding beauty in her surroundings. Her artistry then took her to painting, which she truly mastered in creating stunning impressionist scenes with gardens, meandering paths and many featuring her grandchildren. Her six children treasure the paintings hanging in our homes that bring us joy knowing that she poured her heart and so much love into creating them. 

Darlene also adored her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. We treasure the memories captured with her doing art projects, reading, giggling, sharing stories and just being together. Shortly after our father passed away in 2001, we started sharing extended time with our Mom, which turned into longer visits and then permanently into two-month stays at each of our homes. We also opened our homes to her beloved dog, Mr. Tucker, who was the most devoted furry friend she could ask for. Our mom frequently thanked us for sharing our homes with her and how grateful she was for the time together with all of us, especially our furry friends. We, too, loved the time we spent with her, the giggles, the storytelling and making memories to last a lifetime. We would not have had it any other way. 

A private service will be held to honor Darlene’s life. Our family wants to thank The Maplewood Nursing and Rehabilitation Home for the outstanding care and compassion they provided throughout Darlene’s stay.

Memorial donations to honor Darlene’s life may be made to the Penfield Ecumenical Food Shelf online at https://www.penfieldecumenicalfoodshelf.com/ or sent to 1618 Jackson Road, Penfield, NY 14526. Thank you for joining us in remembering Darlene’s extraordinary life and the legacy she left for all of us.