Virginia Brennan DeFillippi

Virginia Brennan DeFillippi, 100 of Rensselaer, NY passed away very peacefully on April 21, 2026. She was born in Waterbury, CT. She is survived by 4 children, Virginia Brennan Murphy (Richard), Thomas Brennan (Lisa), Mary Brennan and John Brennan (Lisa), two step-children Robert DeFillippi (Jane) and Susan DeFillippi Broderick (John) and 17 grandchildren including step-grandchildren and 35 great grandchildren. Virginia & Richard Murphy’s Children: Christopher Murphy (Sharon), Kathleen Murphy (Dave), Elizabeth Murphy Selig (Mike), Sarah Murphy Stevenson (Nick), Thereas Murphy, Margaret Murphy Seals (Mike), Stephan Murphy (Michelle), Patrick Murphy (Katie) and Bridget Murphy. Tom & Lisa Brennan’s Children: Jack T. Brennan and George D. Brennan. John & Lisa Brennan’s Children: John Brennan (Lauren), Kelly Brennan Giuliano (Scott) and Jessica Brennan Miller (TJ) . Bob & Jane DeFillippi’s Chldren: Christopher and Micheal DeFillippi Susan DeFillippi & John Broderick’s Child: Timothy Broderick. She had numerous wonderful cousins, blessed nieces & nephews and beautiful friends She was preceded by her parents Phillip and Mamie Cianciolo, her beloved husband Thomas D. Brennan in 1974 and her second husband, Alphonse DeFillippi in 2004, 6 brothers; Fred, Mickey, John and one sister Lucy and 2 other children who passed early in life. She was a very crafty creative imaginative woman. She enjoyed knitting, crocheting, needle point and loved to sew. She was an avid reader. One of her friends, Zadia, gave her a book “101 Bible Short Stories for Seniors”. This was the last book she read. She struggled reading due to failing eyesight, but devoured this book in a few days. She spoke of how much she enjoyed this book and how it helped her to continue to accept her journey of being in long term care even though she would have much preferred to be home, independent and caring for herself. She loved the outdoors and as a child in CT would sit outside I believe under an apple tree reading and watch all the birds, especially the eastern bluebird which became her favorite. The bluebirds at that time were as prevalent as robins. She came to recognize the birds by their songs. She knew the names of all the trees in the northeast. In later years, she would love to sit on my deck, we would have cookouts and listen to the birds, some of them she could no longer hear. She always recognized the cardinal’s call and greatly loved seeing them. She was a humble, woman of tenacity and wisdom even at a young age. She grew up during the great depression, she sacrificed many different things for her family and her children. She lived life by the Serenity pray; “Accepting what cannot be changed, wisdom to know the difference and the courage to change what can be changed be change”. There will be a wake from 9:30 AM to 11:00 with a Mass immediately following the wake, all to be held at St. Vincent's Church 900 Madison Ave, Albany NY. 12208. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Bluebird @ landisarboretum.org/donate, or Butterfly:https://albanypinebush.org/friends-join-donate or Tiger: @ Panthera.org. The service is as follows: Monday, April 27, 2026, There will be a wake from 9:30 AM to 11:00 with a Mass immediately following the wake, all to be held at St. Vincent's church 900 Madison Ave, Albany, NY. 12208. The Mass to be live streamed @ www.stvincentalbany. Live Streaming Facebook and people can watch it there in real time on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/stvincentalbany/ Afterwards, it will upload it to YouTube and once it has processed.

Virginia Brennan DeFillippi

April 11, 1926 - April 21, 2026