Niva De Vito

LIBERTY-It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of our family matriarch, Niva De Vito, 91, on February 24, 2022. Niva was a devoted and loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt and mother-in-law.

Niva was born in Johnstown , Pennsylvania, in 1930 to Artemisio and Anna (DelGrosso) DiBacco. She worked in a garment factory in Johnstown prior to her marriage to Valentino De Vito in Italy in 1952. Niva and Valentino moved to Youngstown soon after and raised their four children in Liberty, where they lived for over fifty years. As her children grew, she worked in the cafeterias at Liberty Local Schools. Niva belonged to the Liberty Mothers’ Club, and along with her husband, attended every possible sporting, school, church or musical event of her grandchildren. Niva and Valentino enjoyed traveling in the U. S., Canada and Europe, and attended many concerts and opera performances, which was a particular love of theirs. She was also a great fan of Coach K. and Duke basketball, Notre Dame football and basketball, YSU football, and a long suffering follower of the Cleveland Indians and the Browns.

Niva leaves her devoted children, Diana De Vito, Frances (Wayne) Tanner, Dr. Valentino (Claudia) De Vito, and Dr. Peter (Cynthia) De Vito. She leaves her beloved grandchildren, Allison (Tom) Tanner Gill, Dr. Beatrice (Nicholas) Olesko, Dr. Gregory (Megan) Tanner, Elizabeth De Vito,

Dr. Peter De Vito Jr., and Dr. Robert De Vito. She also leaves three great grandchildren, Amelia Olesko, Emerson and Chase Tanner. Niva leaves her brother-in-law Michael (Dolores) De Vito and numerous beloved nieces and nephews in Pennsylvania and Italy.

Niva was preceded in death by her husband, Valentino De Vito, who died in 2015, a brother, Arthur Debb and a sister, Evelyn Sebestyen.

A Mass of Christian Burial officiated by Father Scott Kopp was held on March 12th, 2022 at St. Thomas the Apostle Roman Catholic Church in Vienna, Ohio, where Niva belonged since 1965.

The family respectfully asks that, in lieu of flowers, material tributes take the form of contributions in Niva’s name to the De Vito Family Scholarship to help deserving students in the field of music education at Youngstown State University, in care of the YSU Foundation, 655 Wick Ave., Youngstown, OH 44502, or

ALSAC / St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

Professional arrangements are by the Dillon & Santucci Funeral Home, 4471 Warren-Sharon Road in Vienna, OH 44473 (330) 856-0918.

Friends are invited to express their condolences and memories to the family by visiting her tribute at www.dillon-santucci.com.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Niva De Vito, please visit our floral store.