MARIA VELTRI, 90, of Weirton, WV, passed away on February 20, 2025, at WVU Medicine – Weirton. Born on May 16, 1934, in Lago Cosenza, Calabria, Italy, Maria was one of five children born to Luigi and Rosaria Mazzotta Spina. She met and married Giuseppe Veltri, while living in Italy. Giuseppe later traveled to the United States to establish a home and career for his family, working as a car repairman at Weirton Steel. Later, Maria and their one-year-old daughter Nancy joined him in Weirton, where they built a beautiful life together and welcomed three more children and eventually five grandchildren. Maria’s greatest joy was caring for her family. A gifted cook, she filled her home with the comforting aromas of homemade pasta, pizzelles, pizza, fresh-baked bread, sauce, and her famous pepperoni rolls. Her kitchen was a place of love and laughter, where family, friends, and neighbors were always welcome to share a meal and conversation. Maria nourished her faith, by attending Saint Joseph the Worker Roman Catholic Church on Sunday and following it with her mother-daughter trips to the mall, always on the lookout for a great sale. She had a keen sense of style and a flair for fashion, earning her the affectionate title of “fashionista” among her children. However, her happiest moments in her life came with the arrival of her grandchildren between 1992 and 2001. They were truly the light of her life. Maria adored each of them, filling their days with laughter, love, and her unique sense of humor. She was a natural comedian, always finding ways to entertain and make them laugh. After the passing of her husband Giuseppe in 1994, Maria found purpose and community as the cook and housekeeper for the priests at Saint Joseph the Worker Church, a role she lovingly fulfilled for ten years. She took great pride in her cooking and would often accompany Fr. Dube on shopping trips to ensure he selected only the finest ingredients for her carefully prepared meals. In addition to her parents, Maria was preceded in death by her husband, Giuseppe, on September 2, 1994; her brothers, Ercolino and Eliseo Spina; and her sister, Antoinetta Spina. She will be forever remembered with love by her children, Rudy and Joseph Veltri, Nancy (Bill) Buchanan, and Ivonna (Dan) Siudela; and her five grandchildren, Dr. Anthony and Francesca Siudela, Olivia, Emily, and Gabriella Veltri; and her sister, Elena Laurienzo. Friends and family were received at the Greco- Hertnick Funeral Home, Weirton. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at Saint Joseph the Worker Church, followed by interment at Saint Paul’s Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Dementia Society of America at https://www.dementiasociety.org. Maria’s family would like to thank the wonderful people at The Inn at Wyngate, Weirton Geriatric Center for all their care and support; as well as the doctors and nurses at WVU Medicine – Weirton for all their care and compassion. Share tributes at www.grecohertnick.com.