Margie Cunzalo DiPuma (1940-2021) – May She Rest in Peace

Margie passed away peacefully on Monday, March 22, 2021, in Pearland, Texas. She was born on May 5, 1940, in Houston, Texas to Lee and Lillie Cunzalo (both deceased). She married her friend and love, Vincent Frank DiPuma, on November 26, 1961. She was mother to Paul DiPuma (Susan), Stephen DiPuma (Krista), David DiPuma (Katy), and Nonna to Jason DiPuma (son of Paul and Susan), David Paul and Kamille (stepchildren of Stephen and children of Krista), and Vincenzo, Ronan, and Fiona (children of David and Katy). Her sisters are Connie Cunzalo Nagle (John, deceased) and Virginia Lee Deforke (deceased, wife of Joe DeForke). She had four nieces and four nephews along with their spouses, many great nieces and nephews, and countless other kids she considered family that she loved to hug and kiss. Margie shared a special bond with her first and second cousins in the Houston area.

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Ray Miller

She was a graduate of Marian High School. Margie was 100% Italian in every way. She was extremely proud of her Italian heritage and was a long-time member of the Italian Cultural & Community Center. She spent countless hours organizing and managing the Houston Italian Festival event as well as co-founding the Daughters of Italian Heritage. Margie had the wonderful opportunity to travel to Italy, see the beauty of her ancestors’ homeland and attend eucharistic services at the Vatican under Pope John Paul II.

Margie loved to help people and was one of the more instrumental people in getting volunteers, donors, and sponsors more involved each year in the Festival. As a long-time ICCC board member and as a volunteer wherever she was needed, it was easy to see the fruits of her hard work, dedication, loyalty, and her valued wisdom. I can remember many ICCC board meetings and executive festival committee meetings where Margie was working hard to make sure we efficiently and effectively executed the mission statement of the ICCC. I looked forward to seeing

Margie every month before the DOIH meeting as she worked the room to check on all the members of the club she co-founded. Her hard work and dedication to volunteerism was always present. Margie worked as an executive assistant to Houston real-estate and developer mogul Wayne Duddlesten for over 50 years. She had the pleasure to meet with many Houston officials and Mayors during her employment. In fact, Mayor Bill White presented Margie at her retirement party with a proclamation certificate for her assistance in the development of

Houston stating, “August 23, 2009 will be forever known as Margie DiPuma Day in the City of Houston.”

Of utmost importance to Margie was her family. Over the years I had the privilege to either volunteer with, work with, or meet most all Margie’s immediate family. Famiglia was important to Margie and with her last breath, she brought her entire family together once more.