Yolanda (Cretaro) Menillo died Sunday December 14, 2014 after a long battle with Alzeimer’s disease. She was born on July 3, 1932 in Jamaica, Queens, New York. Although her official birthday was July 3, it was always celebrated as if it were on July 4 along with all the traditional 4th of July celebrations. She grew up in Queens with her Italian immigrant parents (Mama and Papa) Orazio and Palma Cretaro, her sisters Helen and Margie, and her brothers Benny and Anthony. As the families grew they would gather on Sundays for large Italian meals together. She loved her siblings dearly. Her sisters were her closest friends and confidants. She was so proud of her brother’s careers and they were always there by her side. She loved all her nieces and nephews as if they were her own. She remained close to all of them and them to her up to the end. Yolanda met Robert (Bob) Menillo in the Berkshires and they were married soon after. In 1961 her daughter Lisa was born. She desperately wanted a second child and fought long and hard to adopt her second daughter, Pamela, in 1970. Yolanda embodied the word mother. She was the kind of mother who sat on the floor with her children and played. She enjoyed all the little moments of motherhood and wanted to be a part of her children’s lives. She so enjoyed all the friends of her daughters and welcomed them into her home with open arms. She always took the time to talk with them and learn what interested them. Sometimes she shared a cup of tea with them at the dining room table as they got older and other times sat out on the front stoop to chat on a summer night. Yolanda had 5 grandchildren; Emily, Anna, Ryan, Samantha and Robert. They were the joy of her life. She was a loving grandmother who laughed when they laughed. She was doting and playful. She joined her grandchildren on trips to Cape Cod and never missed a birthday party. She had the energy to keep up with them and never worried about spoiling them. Yolanda was the kind of woman who could treat a person as if she knew them her whole life. She had empathy for people, especially if they were going through a rough time. She would invite people to Thanksgiving dinner if they were going to be alone, she took in people if they were stranded. She loved and embraced her work delivering food to homebound people through Meals on Wheels. She had a beautiful smile and was full of life. Her family was her pride and joy. She had many interests. When she was single she worked in Manhattan on Fifth Ave for Rolex. She loved Manhattan and found Fifth Ave and Rolex so glamorous. She loved fashion and had a distinct, somewhat edgy, style. She was fun to be with. She enjoyed weekly card games with her girlfriends and they could all be heard throughout the house laughing, and sometimes swearing, late into the evening. She loved music, especially Italian opera. She would head down to Lincoln Center on her own to see the opera. Opera and Italian radio stations were often blasting throughout the house. She loved to travel and enjoyed her trips with her husband to California, Italy, Aruba, England and others. Her husband, Bob, was by her side through her illness, providing advocacy, support and constant, unconditional love. She is survived by her husband Robert Menillo, her daughter Dr. Lisa Menillo- Weis and son in law Dr. Otto Weis. Her daughter Pamela Sanzaro. Her 5 grandchildren Emily, Anna and Ryan Weis. Samantha Sanzaro and Robert Dougherty. Her sisters Margherita Torchia, and Helena Verrelli. Her brothers Bernardo Cretaro and sister in law Vivian Cretaro, and brother Anthony Cretaro. She is also survived by many brother and sister in laws and many nieces and nephews. She was very loving and was very loved. She will be missed, may she rest in the Peace of Christ. In lieu of flowers the family is requesting donations be made in Yolanda’s name to the Alzheimers Association.