Lilla Giambra Smerkanich of Doylestown, PA passed away peacefully at her residence on Sunday, July 10, 2016. She was 59.

Born in San Cataldo, Italy, Lilla immigrated with her family to the United States in 1968 and moved with her husband and family to Doylestown in 1990.

Lilla grew up in New York City. She was a graduate of Monsignor Scanlon High School in Bronx, NY and received both a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Master’s degree in International Relations from Fordham University in New York, where she met her husband, Matthew, whom she married at Fordham Chapel on a bitterly cold but brightly sunny January day in 1981. After college, Lilla worked at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York City.

When her children were born, Lilla became a devoted mother and homemaker. She moved with her family from New York City to Croton-on-Hudson, NY and finally to Doylestown. After raising her children here, Lilla became a teacher at the Solebury School. She later worked at various law firms in Doylestown, but always enjoyed most teaching her native Italian language to students and friends at the dining room table in her home.

Lilla was active in the Doylestown community. She was past President of the Doylestown Branch of the American Association of University Women; she was a Board Member of the Hepatitis B Foundation, who honored her for her service in 1999; and she was a volunteer tutor of English as a Second Language for VITA.

Lilla was an active and devoted member of her beloved church, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church of Doylestown, where she served as a member of the Vestry and as a Lay Eucharistic Minister. Lilla headed up St. Paul’s Prayer Shawl Ministry that knits and crochets baptismal blankets, shawls for the ill, and hats for chemotherapy patients. She oversaw the Church’s Christmas Shoebox Ministry that gathers gifts from parishioners for less fortunate children of other parishes.

Lilla loved to read and travel, but her children and her family were her greatest joy. She was an excellent cook and her favorite days were Sundays and holidays with her extended family gathered around her kitchen table enjoying her wonderful meals.

She was the beloved wife of 35 years to Matthew Smerkanich; devoted mother to Lauren Smerkanich and husband Kevin Rice, and Nick Smerkanich, all of Los Angeles, CA; dear sister of Joseph Giambra of Bronx, NY; daughter of Sarina and the late Biagio Giambra. She is also survived by many friends, in-laws, cousins, nieces and nephews, all who will deeply miss Lilla and her generous spirit and gentle sweetness.

Visitation will be held at the Varcoe-Thomas Funeral Home, 344 North Main Street, Doylestown, PA 18901 on Wednesday, July 13, 2016 from 6:00-8:00 pm.

Visitation will also be held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 84 E. Oakland Avenue, Doylestown, PA 18901 on Thursday, July 14, 2016 from 9:45-10:45 am with Mass of the Resurrection to begin at 11:00 am.

Interment will follow in Doylestown Cemetery, Doylestown.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at the above address or to the American Brain Tumor Association, 8550 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue, Suite 550, Chicago, IL 60631 www.abta.org would be appreciated.

Send condolences to www.varcoethomasfuneralhome.com

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Lilla Giambra Smerkanich, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.