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Helen B. Johnston of Collingswood; Teacher at Collingswood and Cherry Hill Schools; GHS Alum
Linda J. Bauman (nee Southward) of Bellmawr; Employed by Botte Insurance

Dawn DiGiacomo Loved Life; Died Too Soon

 

by William E. Cleary Sr. | CNBNewsnet

 

GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (December 29, 2019)--—Funeral services for Dawn DiGiacomo will be held this afternoon starting 4 PM to 6 PM at McCann-Healey Funeral Home 851 Monmouth

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Dawn DiGiacomo

Street., Gloucester City.

Dawn was a lifelong resident of Gloucester educated in the local Catholic School system, She graduated from Gloucester Catholic in 1987.

Her husband Vince DiGiacomo said he and Dawn were together for 32 years.  He said that Dawn wasn't sick for very long. "She was having trouble walking, her knee kept giving out. It got so bad she couldn't walk. She was admitted  to Cooper Hospital and underwent a battery of tests. At the end of two weeks the doctors said she either had Stage 4 lung cancer or it was a parasite that was causing her problems. We looked at each other and said if we have a choice we will take the parasite. But, as you know it didn't work out that way"

Vince said she was released from the hospital and for the next month as an outpatient she underwent two weeks of chemo and another two weeks of radiation. 

"After the treatments she was at home when she got a terrible pain in her ribs.  We thought she pulled a muscle and went back to the hospital.  Why doctors were examining her she told me not to stress out, go get a coffee. When I came back later she was in a different room and hooked up to all these machines. She had a breathing tube inserted in her trachea. We never had a verbal conversation again after that day. That was the last time I talked with her. "

At one point she died but doctors were able to revive her after 8 minutes. "She was never the same after that," Vince said.  "The cancer  spread into her back and into her brain. The doctors said she had 50 lesions on her brain."

Dawn loved spending time down the shore. She was into crafts and would gather seashells from the beach her husband said. "She would make wreaths out of the shells and give them to friends as a gift. She also liked crabbing and fishing. One of the places she like was Champagne Island which was near the North Wildwood Marina. We would head out there in our pontoon boat and spend the day. She loved to garden. She always had to have some kind of water feature like a pond around the garden. Dawn died too soon, she loved life," he said.

Besides her husband Dawn is survived by her children Derick and Ashley Fowler, Amber DiGiacomo, Vincent DiGiacomo, Jr. and Dominick DiGiacomo. Cherished grandmother of Brianna, C.J., Maximus and Derick, Jr. Cherished daughter of Earl T. Fowler, Sr. and the late Louise A. Fowler. Beloved sister of Michelle and Thomas Quinn, Stephanie and John Bryszewski, Kimberly and Michael Morrell and Earl Jr. and Kelliann Fowler. Beloved daughter in law of Amelia Fountain and sister in law of Aldy and Tina DiGiacomo, Georgeanne and John Fagan and Nicole and Doug Rathbone. Also survived by many loving nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins and her beloved dog, Opie.

Tomorrow, Monday, December 30th a viewing will be held from 9:45 to 10:45 AM at St. Mary’s Church, 426 Monmouth St., Gloucester City. Mass of Christian Burial 11 AM in the church. Entombment will follow in Hillcrest Memorial Park Mausoleum, Hurffville.

In lieu of flowers donations are requested to Animal Welfare Assoc., 509 Centennial Blvd, Voorhees, NJ 08043. Please memo, Dawn M. DiGiacomo.

Condolences and Memories may be shared at www.mcannhealey.com under the obituary of Dawn Marie DiGiacomo. Funeral Arrangements and Inquiries through:  McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME, Gloucester City, NJ.  Ph: 856-456-1142.

Related: Dawn DiGiacomo, 51, of Gloucester City; GCHS Alumnus

 

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