Joan (Frissora) Pompeo

We sadly announce the passing of our deeply beloved mother Giovanna “Joan” Frissora Pompeo, age 96, on June 7, 2026. She remained intellectually curious, interested in current events, and stylish until the very end. Born in Introdacqua, Italy, in 1930, her childhood was upended by Fascism. During WWII, she endured the Nazi occupation of her town and the Allied response, experiencing events no child ever should. When the war ended, she became a member of Teatro Avvenire. Giovanna was scouted by Cinecitta studios, but was compelled by her family to decline the offer. She came to the U.S. with her mother and a sister in 1947, and navigated the challenges of learning a new language and a new culture. When enrolling in high school, Giovanna was re-christened “Joan” because “she needed to have an American name,” and although she had a classical lycée education, she had to start at the beginning. Despite this, she persisted and excelled. She went to business school and loved working in Downtown Pittsburgh. Joan placed her family and her faith at the center of her life. She was generous and “a helper,” a person who unhesitatingly tended to the care of the elders in the family, and a blessing to many. As a faithful member of St. Joseph Church, she served as a member of its parish council, and was a member of St. Anthony Congrega and Christian Ladies. A woman of quick intelligence and formidable math skills, Joan kept learning and growing throughout her life. She always had an atlas at hand and enjoyed providing her daily weather forecast (the “Mom-cast”). She delighted in sharing her interests in theater, opera, reading, and travel -- along with her passion for political engagement -- with her daughters. And she never tired of making soups, breads, pastas, and beautiful arrays of Italian cookies for those she loved.

Joan was the cherished wife of the late Guido Fabiilli Pompeo. She is survived by her daughters Joanne (Joseph Palmo) and Marisa (Charlie Szymanski), her best friend for over 90 years Elisa Gianetti, and her extended family in Italy and the U.S. She was preceded in death by her parents Germano and Paolina (Mampieri) Frissora; siblings and spouses Tony (Lena DiCicco), Lina (Dionisio Colangelo), Jerry (Mary Vidmar), Concetta (Pasquale Giammarco), and Maria (John Guglielmi); and her in-laws Fiore and Maria (Ciccone) Fabiilli and Domenico (Maria Angelilli) Fabiilli.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, June 12, 2026 at 11 a.m. in St. Joseph Church, Coraopolis, PA. Interment to follow in Resurrection Cemetery.

Donations in Joan’s memory may be directed to the Children’s Hospital Free Care Fund (www.givetochildrens.org).

Arrangements by SANVITO FUNERAL HOME in Coraopolis, PA.

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