Sara ("Sarina", Rosaria) Stillone

Sara Stillone (nee Cappello) was born on September 23, 1943, in the little town of Salaparuta, Sicily. Eighty-one and ½ years later, on Sunday morning, March 9, 2025, with her family by her side, she was born into eternal life.

Sara was the faithful, beloved wife of her recently departed husband, Paolo. Sara was the second of five daughters born to Francesco & Rosalia Cappello. She is survived by her younger sisters: Dominica, Calogera, and Leah who live in Italy. Her older sister, Josephine passed away in Madison earlier that same Sunday morning.

Sara is further survived by her two sons Joe and Frank and her loving daughters-in-law Lori and Yau Stillone. Sara was also a proud and joy-filled "Nonna" to her grandkids: Paul (Morgan) Stillone, Isabella (Brennen) Scarborough, Marcus (Abbie) Stillone, and Nathaniel Stillone.

She was also a great-grandmother to Amaya, Luca, Hazel, Mayven, Enzo, and great-grand-baby #6 soon to arrive. She also leaves behind many cousins, nieces, and nephews—some who live in the U.S. and many who live throughout Italy.

Sara arrived from Sicily to Madison on March 6, 1965, accompanied by her husband and with a three-year-old in tow. Despite not knowing a word of English, this shy 21-year-old, farm girl began to work to help support her family. She spent a lifetime tirelessly working and serving her family.

After a few years of acclimating to life in America, on two different occasions, she and her husband set plans in motion to return to the country of their birth. Although they were grateful to be in America, they experienced a steep and difficult learning curve as they attempted to navigate life within an unfamiliar culture and language. They also found doing life an ocean away from family roots was a great sacrifice. And yet, at the end of the day, when weighing what was best for their two sons, they courageously decided to stay.

Sara's gift of hospitality was practically world-renowned. It was a gift she was always ready to give to the many family, friends, and out-of-town guests who would often be found in her home. Guests would find her kitchen table overflowing with Italian fare; so often the tasty dishes spread out across the table were so numerous that people would ask "Who else besides us (and what army) is coming to dinner?" Cooking all day and attentively serving those at her dinner table was the way she communicated love.

Sara eventually became a home-based childcare provider. The parents of the children cared for in her home recognized and often expressed how, there was just no one like Sara, no one so attentive and compassionate as she cared for their children. These many kids who entered Sara's home as infants and then "graduated" from her care have kept in touch, even 40 years later, and they continue to send her cards to this day.

It's a testimony to the way her loving influence shaped their young lives. On one very memorable occasion, her observant and watchful care caused her to notice a sniffling, sleepy toddler's lethargy. Out of an abundance of caution, she alerted the toddler's mom and asked her to take the child to urgent care. What the physicians discovered stunned everyone—the infant had contracted a meningitis infection, and they concluded the child's life was only a couple of hours away from being lost. Sara's observant and attentive concern was credited with literally saving her life. This family never stopped expressing their gratitude and that little girl grew up to go on to medical school and is serving people (and rescuing other lives) as a physician today.

Although she had always practiced the faith of her upbringing, something changed in the late 1990s. As a newly minted grandmother, she made a decision to take her faith beyond church attendance and spiritual inertia, she made a life-changing decision to fully give her heart to Jesus Christ, personally receiving Jesus as her Lord and Savior. After this, she began reading both her Italian and English Bibles and eventually became an engaged and active member of her new family of faith at Cornerstone Church in Grafton.

As her understanding of the Gospel grew and began to deepen; her maturing faith had a profound impact on her outlook on life... this new and living relationship with Christ brought

a deeper peace, joy, and hope than she had ever experienced before.

That's why her family today does "not grieve as those who have no hope" (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:13). Because as Sara's Savior has promised, "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. So let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid" (John 14:27). Sara knew God's love for her meant her life in the now and in her forever were secure in His hands.

Sara will be remembered always by her family as a godly and selfless woman with the spiritual gift of encouragement—who throughout life, and in all things, put her family first.

The Stillone family wants to express their deep heartfelt gratitude to all the wonderful staff at Harvest Home who during these final four months of Sara's life provided her with extraordinarily competent and compassionate care.

We (Joe and Frank) thank our good and gracious God for the gift of these many years of doing life together with our mom. We give thanks for the dearest and most wonderful mom anyone could ever have… a mom who gave everything that a son could hope for…including selfless nurturing, unconditional love, unfailing support, and the blessings of the American dream.

A gathering to celebrate Sara's life will be held on March 24, 2025, with a visitation beginning at 9:00 a.m. and the funeral service at 10:30 a.m. at Cornerstone Church, 1187 Falls Road in Grafton. The interment will follow that afternoon at Resurrection Cemetery in Madison.

Because she loved children so much, in lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her name to Ozaukee Christian School (ozaukeechristian.org/donate).

The Eernisse Funeral Home, Cedarburg is honored to serve the family. Online condolences may be left at www.eernissefuneralhome.com.