Yvonne DeGennaro

Yvonne C. DeGennaro (Sangermano), 85, was born on Tuesday, November 5th, 1940, in Elmwood Park, Illinois, to the late Adam and Anna Calandra Romano, and was received Home with great joy by our Heavenly Father on Friday, May 22nd, 2026.

Visitation will be held in at Cumberland Chapels on Monday, June 1st, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Following the visitation, she will be laid to rest with her first husband, the late Mario Sangermano, at St. Joseph Cemetery in River Grove, Illinois. A luncheon will follow the burial.

Yvonne was the beloved mother of Michael (Kelly) Sangermano, Mario (Kristine) Sangermano, and Dina Caruso; proud stepmother of Anthony DeGennaro, Thomas (Sue) DeGennaro, Alicia (Don) DiLiberto, and Andrew (Tamekia) DeGennaro; and devoted sister of Celeste Baker. She was the cherished grandmother of Tyler, Aaron, Jessica, Adam, Nathan, Amanda, Mario, Dominic, Jenelle, Philip, Joel, TJ, Nick, Anthony, and Bryson, and was deeply loved by her 10 great-grandchildren, amongst countless family members and friends whose lives were forever changed by knowing her. Along with her parents and first husband, she will be joining her 2nd husband, Anthony DeGennaro; son, Victor S. Sangermano; and sisters, Rita Romano and Maryanne Ehrenberg.

To know Yvonne, was to love her. Her smile could light up any room, and her heart was pure gold. She cared deeply for everyone around her and carried an unmatched ability to make people feel seen, valued, and loved. Yvonne valued Christ above all, and her love for her family and friends was at the center of everything she did. She was the glue that held her family together and the kind of soul whose presence made life brighter for everyone lucky enough to know her.

She found joy in the simple and beautiful things – attending mass, actively assisting in church functions and activities, and spending time at the Senior Center in Mt. Juliet. Mrs. DeGennaro was endlessly talented: an incredible cook and baker, a gifted crocheter and quilter, and someone who could turn anything she touched into something beautiful. She carried a rare magic within her that cannot be explained, only felt.

Above all else, Yvonne loved Christ. Her faith, positivity, strength, and beautiful spirit inspired everyone around her. She lived with kindness, courage, authenticity and was strong, fearless, compassionate, and breathtakingly beautiful inside and out.

The world lost an extraordinary woman, but Heaven gained a remarkable saint. Yvonne’s legacy will live on forever through the countless lives she touched, the love she gave so freely, and the unforgettable example she set for what it truly means to live for God.