Harriet Birrittella was born on April 28, 1938 in Yonkers, NY. She grew up in the Park Hill section of Yonkers with her mother Dolly, her father Harry, and her two sisters, Connie and Maryann.

After graduating Commerce High School in 1956, she worked as a bookkeeper at Dellwood Dairy. She married the love of her life, Carmine “Nutch” Birrittella in 1961 and married into a very large family with lots of sisters and brothers in-law, and many nieces and nephews.

She and Nutch had two children Stephen and Diane. She was a stay-at-home Mom raising her family with love and guidance.

In 1982 she went back to work at Saks Fifth Avenue Distribution Center. There she made many, many good friends. Friendships that carried on outside of working together. When Saks closed down, she took a job at Gorton High School in the Guidance office. As usual, she made more friends…that was her strength. She was a friendly, happy, funny woman who welcomed you and made you feel like you belonged.

Harriet was an excellent cook and an even better baker. She loved her sweets! She made the best Knot cookies. Her recipe lives on and brings back memories for all of us.

She was a parishioner of Saint Bartholemew’s and Saint John the Baptist churches and was a devoted Catholic, attending mass every Saturday night.

After her husband Nutch passed away, she retired from Gorton High School, and after much convincing, sold her house in Yonkers and moved to Sandy Hook, CT in 2017 to be closer to her children and grandchildren. She moved into a 55 and older community and guess what? She made a huge impact on the residents there. Her house was the meeting spot… hanging out in the driveway…laughing and telling stories… They all would pull me aside and say, “your mother is a funny one”. I would agree and laugh.

Harriet was always there for her children and grandchildren. She was the most generous woman I knew. Always wanting to make life a little easier for you. Always knowing how to help and insisting that we let her.

Unfortunately, Harriet developed Dementia which eventually took its toll and sent her back home to God. I know she was welcomed into Heaven and into Gods arms as she was a good servant, being a kind and loving soul to all who she interacted with. We will sorely miss her but feel comforted knowing that she is reunited with her husband, her parents, her sister Maryann, and all of the family and friends who had passed before her.

Rest in eternal peace Mom, until we meet again.