Shelter Island Reporter obituary: Phyllis DeNicola

Phyllis DeNicola, 87, of Southbury, Conn., passed away peacefully at home on Feb. 7, surrounded by family and love.  

Born in the Bronx on June 8 1939, to the late Sam and Rose Friedman, Phyllis was the beloved sister of the late Joan Friedman Gross of Wantagh, N.Y. and the late Howard Friedman of Oceanside, N.Y. The family moved from Pelham Parkway in the Bronx to Oceanside, in 1951. 

As a young musician, she played violin in the school orchestra and graduated from Oceanside High School in 1956. Her college of choice was the Boston Conservatory, where she continued her musical education and cultivated her love of culture and art. In 1961, she married Anthony DeNicola with whom she had two children — Steven and Stacey DeNicola.

She was a loving mother-in-law to Alison DeNicola and David Lloyd and cherished her nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family. 

Phyllis lived for many years on the south shore of Long Island and spent summers on Shelter Island in South Ferry Hills. A lover of travel and an avid Francophile, Phyllis worked as a travel agent and spent time in Europe, living between Shelter Island and New York City. 

In 2002, she moved to Stamford, Conn. and began a second career in retail, working for Milestones in New Canaan and Wakefield Design in Stamford. Following her children north, she moved to Heritage Village in 2023, where she made many wonderful friends and enjoyed retirement. Her greatest love was for her grandchildren, Andrew DeNicola of Connecticut, Emma Lloyd of Atlanta, Ga., Matthew DeNicola of New York City, Zoe Lloyd of Connecticut and Alex Lloyd of Tennessee. 

Phyllis loved to gather with friends and family, enjoyed playing Bridge and attending classical concerts. At her request, the family will host a celebration of life in the spring of 2026.