CARMELITA LANZA SCHIMENTI succumbed to a thirteen year battle with Alzheimer's disease at the age of 84 in Greenwich Hospital on Tuesday, April 28th, 2009. Born in Kirksville, Missouri on March 23, 1925 to Joseph and Cynthia Lanza, young Carmelita soon became enchanted with ballet. She set her sights on the dazzling stages of Manhattan, and worked hard enough to make this vision a reality. At the age of ten, accompanied by her grandmother, she began her studies at the Chicago Conservatory. Later she attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Carmelita danced for the famous choreographer, George Balanchine of the New York City Ballet. Balanchine was sufficiently impressed with Carmelita that he autographed a photo writing how he admired Carmelita's talent and determination. She went on to perform in the Lerner & Lowe Broadway production "Paint Your Wagon" and others, such as "Annie Get Your Gun", "Bloomer Girl", "Finian's Rainbow" and "Oklahoma". She would practice and perform, often with bleeding feet, with a joy and exuberance that can only come from the connection of one's talent and their dreams come true. When Carmelita met her future husband, S.G. "Ted" Schimenti, at a show opening party at Sardis in New York, Carmelita was performing on Broadway at night and in television studios during the day, such as for the "Lawrence Welk Show" and in "Radio City Music Hall". Her wedding was out of a fairytale with a marriage ceremony at St. Patrick's Cathedral and a reception in the Garden Room at the Plaza Hotel on December 28th, 1953. She became a mother in June of 1955 to son, George and again in April of 1958 to her last child, John. After seeing her sons through their college years, Carmelita returned to her education and earned a Bachelor's degree from Sarah Lawrence College in Art History in May of 1980. Carmelita was the meaning of joy to all who knew and loved her. Her impression was so fond that an acquaintance rarely became a mere passing. When she joined a quite gathering, the room seemed to change in an instant and the dreariest of people became lively and outgoing. She was given the gift of physical beauty that was not satisfied with skin as its only host. Her inner radiance touched and lifted all who knew her.
CARMELITA LANZA SCHIMENTI succumbed to a thirteen year battle with Alzheimer's disease at the age of 84 in Greenwich Hospital on Tuesday, April 28th, 2009. Born in Kirksville, Missouri on March 23, 1925 to Joseph and Cynthia Lanza, young Carmelita soon became enchanted with ballet. She set her sights on the dazzling stages of Manhattan, and worked hard enough to make this vision a reality. At the age of ten, accompanied by her grandmother, she began her studies at the Chicago Conservatory. Later she attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Carmelita danced for the famous choreographer, George Balanchine of the New York City Ballet. Balanchine was sufficiently impressed with Carmelita that he autographed a photo writing how he admired Carmelita's talent and determination. She went on to perform in the Lerner & Lowe Broadway production "Paint Your Wagon" and others, such as "Annie Get Your Gun", "Bloomer Girl", "Finian's Rainbow" and "Oklahoma". She would practice and perform, often with bleeding feet, with a joy and exuberance that can only come from the connection of one's talent and their dreams come true. When Carmelita met her future husband, S.G. "Ted" Schimenti, at a show opening party at Sardis in New York, Carmelita was performing on Broadway at night and in television studios during the day, such as for the "Lawrence Welk Show" and in "Radio City Music Hall". Her wedding was out of a fairytale with a marriage ceremony at St. Patrick's Cathedral and a reception in the Garden Room at the Plaza Hotel on December 28th, 1953. She became a mother in June of 1955 to son, George and again in April of 1958 to her last child, John. After seeing her sons through their college years, Carmelita returned to her education and earned a Bachelor's degree from Sarah Lawrence College in Art History in May of 1980. Carmelita was the meaning of joy to all who knew and loved her. Her impression was so fond that an acquaintance rarely became a mere passing. When she joined a quite gathering, the room seemed to change in an instant and the dreariest of people became lively and outgoing. She was given the gift of physical beauty that was not satisfied with skin as its only host. Her inner radiance touched and lifted all who knew her.
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