Julia Mingolla Costanzo, 78, of Glendale, California, passed away March 29. 2021. Julia was born April 2, 1942, in Sava, Italy, to John Battista Mingolla and Teresa “Tina” (Franco) Mingolla.
Julia is survived by her sisters, Stella Mingolla and Valerie (Mingolla) Mancini, brother, Ennio Mingolla, and his wife, Susan Stearns.
She also leaves her 6 sons and their families, including her 12 grandchildren: Vito Costanzo, his wife Gabriela Costanzo, and their sons Michael Costanzo and Daniel Costanzo; Anthony Costanzo, his wife Theresa Costanzo, and their daughters Christina Costanzo and Pia Costanzo; Francis Costanzo, his wife Lilliam Paetzold, and their daughters Samantha Costanzo Carleton and Sophia Costanzo; John Costanzo, his wife Susi Campos, and their son Carlo Campos Costanzo and daughter Giovanna Campos Costanzo; Giulio Costanzo and his daughter, Valletta Costanzo; and Joseph Costanzo, his wife Andrea Campos, and their daughters Cynthia Campos Costanzo and Isabel Campos Costanzo, and son Marcus Campos Costanzo.
She also leaves nieces, nephews, and a great niece and nephew.
Julia experienced unique and diverse events during her lifetime, from her childhood in southern Italy, her experience immigrating to America as a teenager, starting a family in her twenties in Worcester, MA, and relocating with her husband and children to Los Angeles, CA, where she had her own career in education.
Julia immigrated to the United States with her parents and siblings at the age of 13 to Worcester, MA, and graduated high school in 1960. At 19 she married Vito Costanzo at St. Margaret Mary Church in Worcester and started a family.
Their 5 sons were born in Worcester before moving to Los Angeles, CA, where their 6th son was born before moving the family to Glendale, CA. She was a wife and mother working as a teacher’s assistant in the Glendale USD while her husband worked as an attorney. She attended Antioch University where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in 1992 followed by her M.A. in Organizational Management in 1995 before continuing her career in education, and becoming a special education teacher for the Los Angeles USD.
Julia always had a strong connection to her home in Italy, returning various times with her sons to visit. Julia and her siblings fondly remembered a visit to Italy in 2009, a rare adult vacation all four siblings promised to each other to return to Italy to see their aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Julia was known for sharing her endless sense of pride in her six sons and all of their accomplishments from raising their own families to their professional careers including two lawyers, a business owner, and three educators.
She enjoyed teaching or speaking Italian with anyone who could keep up with her, being an active parishioner at Incarnation Church in Glendale, and sharing stories of her boys and her amazing grandchildren.
The Funeral Mass is Tuesday, May 4, 10:30 AM at Incarnation Church, 1001 N. Brand, Glendale, CA and Internment of Ashes at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Our Lady of Guadalupe Terrace, 1712 S. Glendale Ave, Glendale, CA. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Incarnation Catholic Church.
