Funeral Mass for Yolanda “Viola” Potenziani will be celebrated Friday, April 2, 2004, at 11 a.m., at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Coupeville, with Rev. Ronald Belisle officiating. A reception for family and friends will follow at the Parish Hall. A Vigil Service will be held at St. Mary’s on Thursday, April 1, 2004, at 7 p.m., with Mr. Rick McCormick officiating. Burial and a Memorial Mass will follow at the St. Johnsville Cemetery, St. Johnsville, N.Y., at a later date.

Viola Potenziani passed away March 29, 2004, at the home of her son and daughter-in-law, after a long illness. She was born in St. Johnsville, N.Y., Dec. 31, 1913, to Joseph and Maryann Narducci, the oldest of four children. She moved with her family to Maenza, Italy, when she was nine years old. At the age of 16, she returned to St. Johnsville to live with an aunt and uncle.

Viola was married to Alessandro Potenziani in 1935. She and Alessandro had two children, John and Maryann. They celebrated 50 years of marriage in October of 1985. She was a lifelong resident of St. Johnsville and parishioner of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church. Viola was a friend to everyone she met. She was most noted for Italian cooking and baking. No one ever left her home hungry. Her outside activities included the St. Johnsville Senior Citizens program and membership in the Association for Retarded Children.

Mrs. Potenziani was preceded in death by her husband in 1986 and her daughter in 1988. In 2003, she moved to Coupeville to be with her son John.

Mrs. Potenziani is survived by her son John and his wife Annette of Coupeville and by six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends in New York, Canada, Belgium and Italy also survive.

Memorials may be made to Liberty, Montgomery County Chapter of New York State Association of Retarded Children.