Corinne Y. Pangelina

Corinne Yvonne Pangelina passed away peacefully on Friday, January 6th, following a long illness. Corinne was born to Cora Lou Vita and John C. Wakefield, in Carlsbad, New Mexico, where she lived until moving to Benicia, CA in 1943. She graduated from Benicia High School in 1956, where she was an honor student and a majorette for the school’s marching band. Immediately after high school, she got a job in the Benicia Arsenal, and later worked for the Internal Revenue Service in San Francisco. Corinne worked at Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, where she retired as a Journeyman Sailmaker in 1993 after 30 years of service. After that, she worked for several years as an assistant childcare provider at her daughter’s home daycare, and was known lovingly as “Grandma Corinna” todozens of children in the Benicia area, as well as to her own grandchildren. Corinne married Atilano (Art) Pangelina of Merced, CA in 1958, at St. Dominic’s Church in Benicia. They raised their three children, John, Mark, and Diana, in Benicia, where they continued to live until Art passed away, and Corinne moved to Vacaville, CA in 1987. Corinne had multiple hobbies and interests. She loved the San Francisco Giants, rarely missed watching a game, and especially loved her annual trips to Arizona to attend Spring Training. She was also an avid Oakland Raiders fan, and a longtime season ticket holder, attending all the home games for many years. She loved reading, and always had a stack of library books. She loved watching movies. She did the New York Times crossword and WORDL puzzles daily, and always had a jigsaw puzzle in progress. She loved caring for her prized african violets, poinsettia, and orchid plants, making trips to casinos to play slots, wagering on football pools, baking, and quilting. She loved hosting family holidays, and especially loved dressing up as Santa Claus every Christmas to make “surprise” visits to deliver gifts to her family, which became a beloved family tradition. She will be incredibly missed by all who knew her. Corinne was preceded in death by her husband Art in 1987, and her son John in 2015. Also by her parents John and Lou Vita Wakefield, and her brothers, Jerald and Bruce Wakefield. She is survived by her son, Mark (Tami) Pangelina, and daughter Diana Pangelina Mamere; her grandchildren Jonathan Fryman, Nicholas (Alicia) Mamere, Nathan Mamere, Tabitha (Angelo) Perez, and Donny Rice Jr.; sisters Nona Maye Wakefield and Wanda Lugene Martinez; Great grandchildren Kailah and Angleo Perez Jr., and multiple nieces, nephews, cousins, Godchildren, inlaws, and longtime friends. Vigil service will be held at 6:00 pm on Friday, January 20th at Passalacqua Funeral Chapel in Benicia. Memorial services will be held at 1:00 pm on Saturday, January 21st at Passalacqua Funeral Chapel. Burial will be in the family plot at Benicia City Cemetery, at a later date. The family prefers donations to St. Judes Hospital or The Special Olympics.

Corinne Y. Pangelina

January 18, 1938 - January 6, 2023