Our mom made the world's best carrot cake

She accomplished and overcame so many other things in her life, but the quality of her carrot cake cannot be understated.

Cecelia’s life began in Brooklyn, NY on October 26, 1953. Born to Elizabeth and Felix DiMola, she was said to have been somewhat of a goody two shoes. That is, by definition, a person who is uncommonly good. That would prove to be her superpower. Ask anyone, she was truly a special person, she saw the good in everything and everyone, always put everyone else before herself, and left this world a little bit kinder, and a lot more beautiful just through her existence.

Growing up in Brooklyn, she became an older sister within a short time to Mary Ann. Together they could usually be seen and thought of as twins since her mom dressed them in the same outfits and Mary Ann, although younger, was bigger than the petite Cecelia. Two brothers followed and she remained committed for most of her life to the older sister role - whether babysitting the boys, calling “the devil” when they were bad (often!), talking her siblings through issues as everyone got older, and serving as the glue to keep the siblings a supportive team.

From an early age, she was a consummate “neat freak” and organizer. Directing Saturday house cleaning activities and offering advice when needed. She had a mind for organization whether in the bedroom she shared with her sister (who she dubbed a “slob”) or meticulously labeling her freezer items (hence her nickname as “the tupperware queen”) or cataloging every photo and document in a retrievable file system.

At the age of 16 she was fated to meet the boy who would care for her for the rest of her life. Cecelia and Michael fell in love at first sight. They married in 1975, the same year she graduated from CCNY nursing school. They soon after had two (exceptional) children, Christopher and Nicole.

Cecelia was a natural born caregiver. She became a candy striper at Coney Island Hospital as a teenager and after becoming a registered nurse, she worked in the pediatric intensive care unit at New York Presbyterian Hospital for 30 years, caring every day for the sickest of the sick children. She received both the Nurse of the Year Award and Excellence in Nursing Awards. Her patients loved her. She was gentle and compassionate, not only to her patients and co-workers but to any friend or family member who needed medical assistance or to find just the right doctor for their health care problem. She somehow managed to gracefully balance having a career, raising two children, and still found time for fulfilling her own passions for various hobbies, such as gardening, biking, skiing, traveling with family and friends, cooking, yoga, reading, singing, ballroom dancing, quilting, photography, and so much more.

Celia was a wonderful mother to her two children, Chris and Nicole. Being a mom was her greatest joy, and through her nurturing way created so many long-lasting memories with her family. Hand-sewn Halloween costumes, impeccably decorated (carrot) cakes and homemade cupcakes, PTA president. Every holiday felt like magic. Each meal was delicious: homemade and gourmet. She loved spending summers and weekends with her family and friends at their Christmas Tree farm in upstate NY. Her garden produced award-winning flowers and vegetables. She taught her kids how to make apple cider, how to fish, build campfires, find shooting stars, plant Christmas trees, and build epic pillow-forts (and tree forts!). She taught us to bake, to sew, to know what’s a weed and what’s a flower. She gave us the most wonderful childhood filled with wonder and curiosity. We were dirty and we got scraped knees and elbows, and mom was there to pick us up and kiss it better. She truly spent her time on this earth being present in each moment, and always appreciative of what she had. She saw the good in everything, and made the world a better and more beautiful place.

That was all before fucking Parkinson’s. In 2009 Cecelia received the diagnosis that changed everything. She battled fucking Parkinson’s for 14 years, and she did not go down without a fight. She was heroic in her perseverance to halt the relentlessly progressive disease in its tracks. She went to OT, PT, boxing, singing, dancing, walking, biking, speech therapy, always trying to stay one step ahead of it. Despite the tragedy and absolute devastation that her disease delivered, a complaint about her situation was never uttered. She awoke and faced every day with a smile and a resolve to make it the best day that she could.

Looking up in her recipe book that Carrot Cake recipe that she once knew every word of by heart, she still baked it at every birthday, and we always ate it, praised it, and loved every bite of it, knowing for certain that a key ingredient had been doubled, or completely omitted…but every bite was made with her love. Giving to and helping others gave her true joy and happiness. She was always optimistic and maintained a positive attitude, even as more and more of her was chipped away. She endlessly tried new medicines, underwent deep brain stimulation surgery, received other surgeries to allow for medications to be taken once she was no longer able to swallow them. She did everything in her power to stop fucking Parkinson’s from taking away her independence.

She beat Breast Cancer. Twice! While she was fighting fucking Parkinson’s. She is the strongest and kindest person you will ever meet.

Cecelia’s body finally decided to beat fucking Parkinson’s disease on November 15, 2023 in her own bed at home in the early morning just after sunrise. She made a graceful and quiet exit, knowing she was surrounded by the love of those she had nurtured during her life. The birds were singing, there was a gentle wind whistling through the salt marsh. She left this world peacefully in her sleep. She was a caretaker to the very end, making sure her family was okay; knowing that she’d helped each of us in her own way. She left her broken body on her own terms, taking back control of her life. Today and forever more she dances and flies, independent and free.

The last few years of Cecelia’s life were a struggle, as the rude intruder Parkinson moved into her mind and slowly but certainly consumed her bit by bit every second of every day. Little by little, her physical body shrank and wilted, her voice became muted, eventually all but silenced. Her vibrant memories flickered and dimmed, but her strong spirit never faded. A week before she passed, she asked Mike to get her onto the rowing machine because she wanted to work out! She always continued to try to do the dishes and help to clean up after meals (much to our dismay). She continued to cherish the warm embrace of her family and friends, and found comfort when surrounded by their conversations and laughter. We could always coax a glimmer of a smile or a tiny laugh when we’d poke fun at her amazingly supportive husband, Mike. She never stopped absorbing the love coming from those around her, and she returned it a thousand fold.

She is survived by her husband Michael, her son Christopher and his wife Kristan and their two children Zoe and Benjamin, her daughter Nicole and husband Mercer and their three children, Ava, Jaxon, and Chloe, her beloved sister Mary Ann, and her two loving brothers Nicholas and Gilbert. She leaves behind countless friends and colleagues that she has touched over the years. She loved her video calls with the Biddies, and all of the lunches and visits from her long time playgroup friends in Rockland over the years. She loved all of you more than you could ever know.

A celebration of Cecelia’s life will follow, date and time to be announced. Probably when the air is full of the scent of flowers and the sound of bees and hummingbirds, some of her favorite things.

The recipe for the best carrot cake in the world follows. Your mileage may vary. Requires an extra-large portion of love and care while baking.

Carrot Cake

• 1 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1 cup coconut
• 3 cups grated carrots

Mix oil, sugar and eggs.

In another bowl mix flour, soda, salt and cinnamon.

Mix wet and dry

Add vanilla, coconut, and carrots.

Bake 45 mins

Frost w/cream cheese frosting:

• 1/4 lb butter (1 stick)
• 1 (8oz) cream cheese
• 3 cups to 1 lb powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

Mix together butter and cream cheese

Add sugar and vanilla

Blend until smooth - add dash of milk if necessary

ENJOY!!!

Cecelia Mary DiMola