Filomena Coutts

Filomena “Chickie” Coutts, 85, longtime resident of Cynthia Drive in North Syracuse, passed away Tuesday, February 14^th at Elderwood at Liverpool. Chickie grew up on the family vegetable farm along Erie Boulevard East in Syracuse before relocating to North Syracuse in 1967. She was a 1954 graduate of Central Tech High School and received her LPN certification the following year.

She met her husband, Garry, while volunteering for the USO on the Syracuse University campus. Garry was in the Air Force studying to be a Russian linguist. They met at a USO dance and were married three months later in Hendricks Chapel on the campus. Their favorite holiday was Valentine’s Day and they loved dancing to Johnny Mathis’ Twelfth of Never. Once their children arrived, Happy Valentine’s Day became Happy Fizzie’s Day. Garry would bring home fizzies candies that the whole family enjoyed together.

Chickie worked at St. Joseph’s Hospital for several years as a nurse and then became one of the first cytotechnologists in Syracuse until she retired in the 1970’s to raise her family. She was a Girl Scout Troop Leader while her children were growing up. Chickie had a green thumb and grew the most beautiful plants and flowers. It was only fitting that she worked at Chuck Hafner’s Farm before leaving in 1986 to become a full-time grandmother, caring for her greatest joys in life. Chickie loved helping others and cooking for her family. She would watch cooking shows for inspiration. She enjoyed camping for 40 years at Wilson’s Hyde Lake in Theresa, NY where she was a member of the Beaver’s and Trapper’s Club. Chickie’s hobbies included playing piano and all types of arts and crafts including creating the most unique and beautiful wedding bouquets and arrangements. In recent years, she enjoyed listening to music while mastering crossword puzzles. She was a consistent winner about 90% of the time while playing Words with Friends. Chickie was a member of Luther Memorial Lutheran Church in North Syracuse and volunteered as a Youth Advisor.

She was predeceased by her husband of 52 years, Garry Coutts in 2009, her parents, Luigi and Lenora (Fall) Pellizzeri, and by two brothers, Ralph and James Pellizzeri.

Filomena is survived by her two daughters: Cynthia (Dan) Coutts-Whitney of Cicero and Laurie (Paul) Benz of Rockford, IL; a sister, Elena Prahl of Brewerton; four grandchildren: Crystal Coutts (Andy) Whitney of Elbridge, Daniel Whitney of North Syracuse, Kaleigh (Brandon) Johnson of Fennville, MI, and Brian Benz of South Beloit, IL; and several nieces and nephews.

Contributions in her memory may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, P.O. Box 12228, Syracuse, NY 13218.