Aurel Anthony D'Allura

Aurel D’Allura, 96, of Syracuse Utah, passed away on November 16, 2022. Rel was born the middle child to Joseph and Angela (Scimone) D’Allura of Whitestone NY on June 12, 1926.

Rel attended Fordham University until he was drafted into the Army Air Corps. After going throughbootcamp twice he served for two years as a Weather Observer. After he was discharged, he continued at Fordham where he majored in English.

He began his career in Banking following graduation. He worked at Manufactures Hanover Bank in New York where he was a Trust Officer. That is where he was to meet the love of his life, Marie Laterza. They secretly dated for a time and then married on June 22, 1963. Their honeymoon was a drive cross county to Canoga Park, California where they lived for 36 years. Rel worked for Lloyds bank from 1963 until he retired in January of 1986 at the age of 59 ½.

Family was everything to Aurel. When they moved to Canoga Park his baby sister Mary and her husband Jim lived up the street and his mother and father lived around the corner. His brother Joseph and his children were in Orange, California and we all got together as often as possible. Aurel and Marie had many friends in the neighborhood and there was always company coming over for coffee and a chat.

After Marie became ill in 1999 Aurel and Marie, along with Angela and David, relocated to Simi Valley, California. After Marie’s passing in 2003 Aurel became involved in volunteering. He volunteered at the nursing home where Marie was a resident until her passing, and for a few years afterward, working with the activities coordinator. He also volunteered at the Cultural Arts Center where he was an usher for many of the performances. He loved it because he got to see the shows for free. He joined the senior center where they had a cribbage club that met every Monday evening. He also attended exercise classes and afternoon movies on Tuesdays and Thursdays. He was a Fourth Degree member of the Knights of Columbus at St. Peter Claver Church where he helped with many of the functions such as pancake breakfasts, golf tournaments and poker tournaments. He also traveled a lot. He went on a pilgrimage to Europe twice with Fr. Lawrence Seyer from St. Peter Claver, once for the Beatification of Mother Teresa. He also traveled with Angela, Dave, and the grandkids quite often to Hawaii, New York, Connecticut, Arizona, and on several cruises.

Aurel is survived by his son Paul (& Lisa) D’Allura, daughter Angela (& David) DeGregorio, his grandchildren Anthony DeGregorio, Michael (& Lauren) D’Allura , Christopher (& Kassandra) DeGregorio and Mark D’Allura, as well as his two great-grandsons Vincent DeGregorio and Brixton D’Allura.

A memorial service will be held for Aurel at St. Peter Claver Catholic Church in Simi Valley, California on Friday March 24, 2023, with a Rosary at 9:30 a.m. followed by Mass at 10:00 a.m. He will be interred at San Fernando Mission Cemetery following the Mass with a Celebration of Life following at Rancho Santa Susana Community Park in Simi Valley at 1:00 p.m.