Mary Frances Caraccia

Mary Frances Caraccia (Correa), 74, passed away at home in Forest, VA on Sunday, February 3, 2013. She was born on August 12, 1938, in Brooklyn, NY, daughter of the late Benjamin Correa and Mary F. Swailes. She is preceded in death by her husband Joseph, sister Lillian A. Miller, and brother Benjamin Correa, Jr. Mary, or \"Franny\", as she was affectionately called by her aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews, was a strong, loyal, loving woman, devoted to her husband whom she married on February 8, 1958, and was dedicated to her family, instilling in them her own core values of faith, love and family. Mary and her husband lived and raised their children in Queens, NY for 31 years. Mary volunteered at their church and at their children\"™s school in the parish of St. Nicholas of Tolentine, Jamaica, NY. After coming to Forest, VA 21 years ago, she became a regular communicant of Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church, in Bedford, VA.

Mary is survived by her aunts, Kathleen Kruger and Elizabeth Wratschko, her uncle John E. Swailes, her half-brother Ray Correa, and her three children, Joseph Jr. and his wife Dolores, Vitina and her husband Lt. Col. John Ptakowski, USMC, Ret. and Stephen. She has seven grandchildren; Jonathan, Michelle and Joseph O. Caraccia and Maria, Laura, Theresa, and Lisa Ptakowski., and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Mary will be laid to rest beside her husband Joseph on February 8, 2013, their 55th wedding anniversary \"" Dancing in Heaven FOREVER.

Funeral services will be conducted 11:30 AM, Friday, February 8, 2013 at Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church in Bedford with Father Stephen McNally officiating. Interment will follow in Virginia Memorial Park. The family will receive friends Wednesday, February 6 and Thursday, February 7, 2013 from 2 until 4 PM and 7 until 9 PM each day at Tharp Funeral Home. Condolences may be sent online by visiting obituaries.tharpfuneralhome.com. Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Lynchburg, 434-237-9424, is assisting the family.