Teresa Celii

Teresa Di Domenico Celii, age 84, left this Earth to be with her Savior, Jesus Christ at 7:30 PM, Monday, June 14, 2021. She passed away peacefully in the company of her family, at her home, Freedom Village Senior Living Community, West Brandywine, PA. It was raining when she passed, but, later, a brilliant, heavenly sunset appeared in the West to guide her home.

Teresa was born in the farming hamlet of Maseria, in the Provence of Abruzzi, Italy, September 16, 1936 to Luigi and Clelia Di Domenico. 

Teresa was preceded in death by her husband Gabriele Celii, sisters, Lucia Valenti & Amelia Durante, and daughter in law Tania Knauss Celii.

She is survived by her husband Peter Mutone; sister Rita Paolini; sons Louis Celii (Erin Murtha Celii), Roberto Celii (Gina Rambo Celii), Anthony Celii; Peter’s children Carla, Kevin and Kyle Mutone; grandchildren Amanda Celii, Alana Celii Dorsa (Daniel Dorsa), Gabriel Celii, Corey Celii, and Austin Celii; and Peter’s grandchildren Kevin, Jr., Peter, Nicholas and AJ Mutone.

On March 2, 1956 Teresa, her husband Gabriele and their 9 month-old son, Louis, aka (Luigi) set sail aboard the Andrea Doria to begin a new life in Downingtown, PA.

Teresa, affectionately known by many as “Momma Chel” was employed at Godiva Chocolate and Pepperidge Farm. She retired as a Quality Control Specialist in 1998, after a dedicated career of 40 years. She was famous for her vast vegetable gardens, apple & peach trees, flower beds, delicious tomatoes, grape vines, homemade wine and homemade pasta, including lasagna, manicotti, ravioli and gnocchi.

All her homemade meals were an event and were prepared with love and great enthusiasm. Her passion was preparing and sharing these feasts with her family and friends she loved. She was tireless and worked her garden soil by hand, protecting it from all the native deer in Chester County, PA. She was a landscaper and was brilliant with her green thumb skills and her nursery of baby tomato plants and Christmas Cacti.

Teresa was a life-long member of St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church of Downingtown, PA. She appreciated the freedom and opportunities given to her here in the USA, because she lived under the tyranny of a dictator in Italy when she was a child. She was a proud American Patriot.

Family is receiving relatives and friends on Tuesday, June 22 from 9:45 – 10:45 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 332 Manor Ave, Downingtown, followed by Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. Interment to follow at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Downingtown.

Flowers are welcome, or contributions may be made in Teresa’s memory to the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, Kansas 66675-8516.

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