Dorothy H. (Sparks) Ciabattoni

Dorothy H. (Sparks) Ciabattoni, age 85, of Wilmington, DE, passed away on Saturday, March 22, 2025. 

She was born to Daniel Sparks and Martha (Uniatowski) Sparks on April 16, 1939, the middle child of three daughters in the Sparks family.  She was educated at St. Hedwig’s Catholic School, Bayard Junior High and graduated from Wilmington High School in 1957 during which time she was a varsity cheerleader and an outstanding dancer.   While at WHS she began working at Blue cross and Blue Shield and remained there after graduation as a full time employee, leaving only to raise her two children.  Once she was comfortable that her boys were mature enough to function as young adults, she returned to work at St. Francis Hospital as a main lobby receptionist.  She retired from St. Francis in 2007, after sixteen very pleasant years.  While still working and after her retirement, the family traveled extensively in the Western United States and the Caribbean making many memorable experiences and friends along the way.  Throughout her adult life she amused her family by her ability to always find “deals” on clothing and other items at bargain basement prices.  In fact, her boys and husband said they no longer had room enough in the house to store the many items of clothing she purchased and lovingly threatened to leave home if it continued.  She called their bluff and continued purchasing her “deals” and they backed down and accepted them to her great pleasure. 

In 1960 she married her high school sweetheart Michael J. (Mickey) Ciabattoni. They married on September 24, 1960 and were still happily married at the time of her passing.  Combining the years of their courtship and marriage, they were together for approximately 69 years sharing much love and life experiences.

In addition to her husband Mickey, she is survived by her son, Michael S. Ciabattoni and his wife, Pamela (Good) Ciabattoni, whom she loved as a daughter; her son, Marc S. Ciabattoni at home; and a sister, Barbara (Sparks) Kipp of Lewes, Delaware.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00am on Friday, March 28, 2025 at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 9th and DuPont Streets, Wilmington, DE 19805; where family and friends may visit from 9:30am – 10:45am. Interment will be held in Cathedral Cemetery.

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