Matilda Widner

Mrs. Matilda V. Widner of West Chester, PA died Thursday, August 6th at the age of 93. Born January 7th, 1927, in Jamaica Queens, New York, she was the daughter of late Jennie & Frank Buonaiuto. Mrs. Widner was the 8th of 12 children. She may have been the smallest of the 12 children but what she lacked in stature she made up for in energy and spunk.

Mrs. Widner worked at Mutual of New York Insurance Company for eight years when she left to raise her three children. Throughout her life, Mrs. Widner and her late husband owned a hardware store, fabric store and were successful in real estate investments.

Retiring to the Gettysburg area in the late 1970s with her husband, she was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, Fairfield PA until she moved to be closer to her daughter in her final years.

Matilda was predeceased by her beloved husband James E. Widner. She is survived by her sister Elizabeth Hart, Hawthorne, NY, one son, Paul J. Widner and his wife Eileen of Hollis, NH; two daughters Diane B. Atwood and her husband Jeff of Virginia Beach, VA, and Carol L. Rodini and her husband Ken of West Chester, PA. She is survived by nine grandchildren, Nichole Michalek, Meredith Foster, Elizabeth Adams, Andrew Varish, Beth Knoblock, Ryan Weaver, Laura Weaver, Megan Evans, and Mackenzie Varish. She is also survived by 13 great-grandchildren.

A private service will be held and a larger celebration of life will be planned at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the St. Jude's Children's Hospital.