Mary Catina Citro Buzzelli

Mary Catina Citro Buzzelli, affectionately called “Mama B”, of Havelock, NC passed away peacefully on January 25, 2024, at Carolina East Medical Center in New Bern, NC, surrounded by her family.

A memorial mass will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, February 10^th at Annunciation Catholic Church in Havelock. A reception will follow immediately after in the Fellowship Hall. 

Mary was born in Akron, Ohio, on May 23, 1924, to the late John Citro and Concetta Barone Citro.  She was preceded in death by her stepfather, Anthony Giampietro of Akron; a daughter, Janis Lynn, of Cherry Pt., NC; a sister, Connie B. Owens of Jacksonville, FL; and her husband Mario A. Buzzelli, of Havelock.  She graduated from North High School in Akron and was given a senior superlative for her flawless complexion.  Mary and her cherished husband, Mario “Buzzy”, were married at St. Martha’s Church in Akron, OH.  They were grateful for their nearly 70 years of marriage until “Buzzy’s” passing in February 2016.

Mary’s sense of humor and laughter were contagious, and she captivated her audience with sharing wonderful stories of her upbringing and life in general, her Italian/Sicilian heritage, along with her talent of telling hysterical jokes.  She always kept a smile on her face, and she encouraged others along the way to trust in the Lord and continually pray for God’s blessings.  Her philosophy when issues arose was to say, “be patient as things always look better in the morning.” 

The love of music and dancing made for a beautiful union with her husband, Buzzy.  They enjoyed many happy filled moments of jitterbug dancing with friends and family over the years. Their all-time favorite tune was At Last, by Etta James.

Mary was an avid golfer for many years and participated in the ladies’ golf associations/tournaments at Klipper Golf Course, Kaneohe Bay, HI; USMC Cherry Pt. Golf Course, Cherry Pt., NC; Anderson CC, Anderson, SC; Carolina Pines Golf Club, New Bern, NC; and Morehead City CC, Morehead City, NC.

In her early years, she was very active in softball and sports at school.   Mary later worked at General Tire & Rubber Company in Akron for their administrative office.  Mary was a loving and devoted homemaker and was able to volunteer at her children’s school functions and church.  She was a huge fan of her children and grandchildren’s sports events from elementary school to college.

Mary loved to spend time in her kitchen baking and preparing delicious Italian/Sicilian cuisine that she learned from her mother, Concetta, and stepfather, Tony.  Cookies and pies were her favorite desserts to prepare, and she was known for her homemade cookies that her family, grandchildren, and neighbors were excited to enjoy.

She also loved her time with family and friends at the beach:   Atlantic Beach, NC, for over 60 years, and Oahu, HI, where she was fortunate to live for three years with her husband and children. 

She was a faithful wife, a loving Mother, and a great friend to all who knew her with being a blessing to all.  She had a great sense of humor and was able to make anyone laugh.  Mary was loved greatly by her family, and she will be greatly missed. 

She was fortunate to have wonderful neighbors and friends surround her, especially in her later years which meant the world to her.  They gave of their time and bestowed many acts of kindness which always uplifted her spirit.

Mary was a life-long member of Annunciation Catholic Church in Havelock, NC, for over 65 years.

She is survived by her son, Phillip L. Buzzelli of Havelock; her daughter, Nancy B. Lilley and husband, Jesse, of Greenville, NC; granddaughters, Mary Lauren Lilley and husband, Justin Craven, of Lynnwood, WA,  Carol Lilley of Seattle, WA, Nadia Mullin and husband, Mike, of Rochester, NY, and Allison Bolender and husband, Sean, of Columbus, OH; six great-grandchildren, Caleb and Aurora Mullin, Genevieve and Amelia Bolender, Ashby and Oren Lilley Craven; brother-in-law, R. E. Owens of Jacksonville, FL; and many loving cousins, nieces, and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. 

Family and friends are welcome to submit online condolences at www.mundenfuneralhome.net.

Arrangements by Munden Funeral Home & Crematory in Morehead City, NC.