Arlene Carlon was born on August 30, 1933, in Brooklyn, NY, to Nicolas and Maria Fuccillo. She attended Notre Dame Academy on Staten Island and earned a degree from Marymount College in New York City. On October 12, 1957, she married the love of her life, Don Carlon, with whom she lived until her passing on July 21, 2024.
Throughout her life, Arlene held various jobs, including administrative roles for the president of a musician’s union, an executive assistant for an architectural firm, and parish secretary at St. Gabriel Church in Stamford, CT. However, the most fulfilling role she ever had was being a mother to her four children: Gregory, Mia, and twins Michael and Jimmy, who, as she often humorously recounted, were expected to be one large baby girl.
The only role she treasured more than being a mother was being a grandmother to her nine grandchildren. Nothing brought her more happiness
than being with her family.
Arlene’s home was a welcoming haven for all. Her children’s friends were treated like family, always finding a place at her dinner table and an open invitation to join holiday celebrations.
Her close friends fondly remember Arlene’s love for golf. She took up the sport at age 60, and her graceful swing and competitive spirit led her to championship victories at both Sterling Farms Golf Course in Stamford, CT, and Ft. Lauderdale Country Club in Plantation, FL. Many were relieved when she retired from the game a few years ago!
A brilliant musician, Arlene could play anything on the piano by ear. She had a remarkable talent for figuring out melodies, often enhancing ones that were hummed to her. She’d be the first to point out, though, that this musical gift was not passed down to her children—a fact she often mentioned with a playful “zinger.”
Arlene had a wonderful sense of humor and could lighten any situation with her wit. A memorable example is when Don popped a tire outside Washington, D.C., during one of their many family drives from Connecticut to Florida when she found a creative way to assist him in changing the tire—an “enlightening” story her family loves to share.
Arlene was a beacon of light to everyone she met. Friends and family remember her as one of the most graceful, caring, and loving people they’d ever met. Her affection extended to animals as well—she adored dogs and would often proclaim, “Grandma loves you,” when encountering four-legged friends.
Arlene is predeceased by her mother Maria Fauci, father Nicolas Fuccillo, stepfather Peter Fauci, a number of aunts and uncles including Carol and Bob Huxtable and Robert and Marie Mazzone, and her beloved son Gregory. She is survived by Don, her loving husband of sixty-six years, daughter Mia (Paul), sons Michael (Nicole) and Jimmy (Kelly), and daughter-in-law Carolyn. Also surviving her are her nine grandchildren: Jack, Connor, Grace, Patrick, Maggie, Thomas, Andrew, Emma, and Elizabeth. Not to be left out are her three grandogs: Murphy, Roni, KoKo, and Sadie, who she all loved “to the moon and back.”
A funeral will be held on Saturday, August 3, at 10:30 am at St. Leo Parish, located at 24 Roxbury Rd, Stamford, CT 06902. The service will be livestreamed for those who cannot attend in person. Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Arlene Carlon’s name to the Congrégation de Notre-Dame online or by check at the address below:
Mission Advancement Office
Congrégation de Notre-Dame
3135 Easton Turnpike
Fairfield, CT 06825
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Thomas M. Gallagher Funeral Home 104 Myrtle Ave Stamford, CT 06902. To send on-line condolences to the family, please visit www.gallagherfuneralhome.com
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