Elena M. Natalizia

of Johnston, RI, passed away on Friday, April 24th, at Miriam Hospital. She was the beloved sister of Deacon John J. Natalizia (Michelle) of Johnston, and Joanne Hastings (Frank) of Melbourne Beach, Florida. Born in Providence, she was the daughter of John E. Natalizia and Victoria Natalizia. Elena was the cherished and adored aunt of Gina Natalizia Huntoon (Burton), John David Natalizia (Sara), Christopher Natalizia (Sarah), Elisa Natalizia, and Victoria Elana Hastings. She also leaves her loving great nieces and nephews: Benjamin, Alexander, Mia, Luca Blaise, Olivia, Violetta, Giada, Bentley, and Nora.

Service and social justice defined Elena. Upon graduation from St. Xavier High School and Salve Regina University, Elena joined the Sisters of Mercy, making her final vows in Holy Cross Church in 1974 (the only religious since then to have done so). She fought forcefully for the marginalized and the underserved each day as a member of the Catholic Chaplaincy Team, eventually establishing the Rhode Island Justice Alliance in 1985 to address the conditions of prisons and to advocate for the incarcerated. Leaving the sisterhood later in her life, Elena focused her passion as a professor of criminal justice and ended her career at Mt. Wachusett Community College, continuously teaching classes with rigor and zest. Even in retirement, Elena composed spirited letters to the editor and was published multiple times in The Providence Journal.

Family, friends, and food were the other pillars of Elena’s life. A peerless cook, Elena loved nothing more to have her family and her friends visit and enjoy an Italian meal, especially her meatballs and her gravy. “Mangia E Statti Zitto” read a sign in her kitchen, but dinner was always buoyed by her enthusiastic discussions of her loves: family, friends, travel, and politics. Elena handwrote family recipes for her nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews and spent many mornings teaching them with her culinary élan: She was the matriarch of the Natalizia family.

Elena ended a speech at her graduation from Salve Regina by quoting “The Boxer,” “I am leaving, I am leaving, but the fighter still remains.” Those words are no less true for her today.

A Memorial Mass and celebration of Elena’s life will be forthcoming, when such a celebration is deemed safe. Contributions in Elena’s name can be made to McAuley Ministries - an organization close to Elena’s heart and one that epitomizes her life’s work.