Velma “Vickie” Ascione

Velma Vickie Ascione, age 84, of Wilmington, Delaware, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Friday, October 31, 2014.

Born on November 2, 1929, in Wilmington, Delaware, she was the daughter of the late John C. Burton and Anne Burton Brown.

Velma proudly served her country in the United States Air Force.

She had a passion for plants and possessed a natural gift for growing many indoor varieties.  For many years, Velma shared her time and talent by volunteering in the greenhouse on the DE State Hospital grounds.   She also volunteered with Read- A-Loud Delaware.  While living at Woodlea Apartments, she held the title of shuffleboard champion for many years.  Velma also sang with her husband and played the cocktail drum.

Velma loved being a special part of her children’s lives and in later years, spending time with her grandchildren.  She will always be remembered as a loving mother and grandmother with the warmest heart and gentlest soul.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Sisto Tony Ascione, Sr., her sisters, Ethel Benicky and Betty DiBartolomeis, and brothers, Charles and Gary Burton.

Velma is survived by four children, Michele A. Dudley (Charles) of New Castle, Sisto A.  Ascione, Jr.  (Jacqueline) of Elkton, MD, Rene M. Miller (David) of Wilmington and Michael K. Ascione (Judith) of Smyrna; seven grandchildren, Jessica, Alexandra, Kristin, Lauren, Dominic, Anthony and Joshua and three great-grandchildren, Gabriella, Dominic and Zachary.

A funeral service will be held at 11:30 am on Thursday, November 6, 2014 at Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Home, 121 W. Park Place, Newark, DE, where friends may visit from 10:30 “ 11:30 am.  Committal services with military honors will follow in the chapel at Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 2465 Chesapeake City Road, Bear, DE.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Velma’s memory to Disabled American Veterans, P. O. Box 407, Camden, DE 19934-0407.