Carmel L. Constantino-Billock

Carmel Constantino-Billock, 101, of Struthers peacefully passed away on October 4, 2025, one month prior to her 102nd  birthday.

Her parents Frank and Josephine Constantino were born in Calabria Italy. Frank and his Eldest son Rocco came to America to start a life, and then later moved the entire family to Struthers, Ohio.

Carmel was born on November 25, 1923, to a simple, hard-working, loving family in a close-nit neighborhood, along with her siblings Rocco, Antoinette, Angelina, and Phillip.

She attended Struthers High School, while working hard at home to assist her family during tough times, including taking in boarders when money and food were scarce. After graduating high school, she began working as a nurse’s aide at St. E’s in Youngstown, finding ways of travel to work while not having a driver’s license. During one of her shifts, a young patient noticed her and told others he wanted that beautiful nurse to take care of him. Even though she said he was a pest, his persistence paid off as they began dating, then she promised to wait for him when he returned from the Navy.

Carmel Constantino married Leo Billock on February 1st, 1947. They struggled financially in their early years, living in her parents’ home. She gave birth to her first child Geraldine, and then realized they needed a home of their own. They built their own home on Spring St. in Struthers, Ohio. After not being able to get pregnant for 13 years, she gave birth to two more wonderful children, Steve and Darlene. She continued to raise a loving family, during some difficult economic times.

While Leo worked at General Fireproofing, enabling his wife to stay home with the family, Gerry attended YSU, getting a degree in education. Mom volunteered at Steve and Darlene’s elementary school, exemplifying her hard work ethic and traditional values to her children.

She never missed the opportunity to call her sisters Antoinette and Angelina, sharing gossip speaking mostly in Italian so her children could not hear the juicy stuff.

While supporting her two young children, her eldest daughter Gerry married William Coates and started a life of her own raising four great children. Carmel outlived her other four siblings, who all shared the same family values, enabling their children to visit each other, go on vacations, share toys and have sleepovers. All of the children were so close; they felt like extended families and made excuses to spend time over each other’s homes. Carmel welcomed everyone into her comfortable home, making sure they enjoyed her delicious cooking, most notably her meatballs, Italian Stuffing and cookies.

Carmel made an impression on everyone she met through her entire life. Always offering food, money, gifts, or most importantly her time and love. Her family continued to grow with 8 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. She lost her husband in 2005, but continued to live and support herself alone in her house for 15 years while never learning to drive. Carmel was never alone she was always supported by her children through visits, phone calls, home projects or dinners. She enjoyed many shopping trips or travels around town with her niece / Buddy Karen.

As Carmel’s other children married, each of their spouses Bill, Ann, Kenny, and their children’s spouses Don, Tom, Marcie, Paul, Brandon, Brian and Sarah began to experience Carmel’s Compassion and Love, feeling like part of the family.

Her family made a point to celebrate her birthday every 5 years with large parties starting with her 80th, thinking each one would be the last, and not knowing this would continue for 20 years. Unfortunately, she fell in her home breaking her hip, which led to the next and last phase of her life.

She moved from her home to the wonderful Shepherd of the Valley nursing home in Poland. The staff and nurses were so loving and supportive in taking care of our mother. Her children and grandchildren continued to visit, call and spend time with her and built great relationships with the staff.

The family organized with the assistance of the Nursing Home to put together an amazing 100th birthday celebration. She spent four comfortable years at Shepherd surrounded by family and a caring support team.

You would never hear a negative word, or criticism towards Carmel. Everyone she met always shared positive comments using words like Caring, Loving, Kind, Thoughtful, Empathic, Nice, Giving and Selfless. She made an impression and she will be missed by so many,  including, her caretakers at Shepherd.

An interesting fact is that Carmel’s home address was 444, and this number, is referred to as representing a “Guardian Angel”, which we felt she had through her long life. As she was ailing in the end, the number 444 kept appearing through dreams, lottery numbers or family members randomly waking up at 4:44 am. We all now feel that she will be taking on the role of our “Guardian Angel.”

There is a saying that says, “Your reputation precedes you and your legacy lives long after you.”

Carmel’s reputation has always been positive, to the point that people would be excited to see, visit and look forward to spending time with her. This included strangers and all the way down to her great grandchildren.

Her loving legacy and being such a great role model will live on forever.

People always ask, “What is the secret to longevity?” Carmel’s answer is to always think of others before yourself, and treat people the way they want to be treated!

At the end of her long life journey of giving, her almost 102 year old body had nothing left to give, but her soul will leave lasting impressions on others.

Thanks for the memories MOM!

Carmel is survived by her children, Gerry and Bill Coates , Steve and Ann Billock and Darlene and Kenny Greenawalt; grandchildren, Kelly, Kristen, Billy, Kari, Jessica, Chelsea, Kevin and Nathan; great grandchildren, Emerson, Andrew, Addington, Leo, Dominic, Anthony, Matthew, Isabella, Savannah, Maverick, Chloe, Adrian, Luna, and Charlotte.

Along with her parents and husband, Carmel was preceded in death by her sisters, Antoinette, and Angeline; and brothers, Rocco and Philip.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, October 7, 2025 from 5:00 - 7:00 pm at the Kirila Funeral Home Inc., 258 Poland Ave, in Struthers and Wednesday, October 8, 2025 from 10:00 am to 10:30 am at the funeral home. A funeral procession will leave from the funeral home at 10:30 am to Christ our Savior Parrish, St. Nicholas Church where A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 am. Burial will take place at Lake Park Cemetery.

In place of flowers, donations can be made to Shepherd of the Valley, 301 W. Western Reserve Road Poland, Ohio 44514. To view this obituary or to send condolences to the family, please visit www.kirilafh.com

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