Edith Hovorka Jilli

Edith Hovorka Jilli 84, of Tucson, Ariz., formerly of Sierra Vista, Ariz., passed away peacefully on Wednesday, February 16, 2011 in her home. She was born in Vienna, Austria on January 14, 1927, the daughter of Oskar Ditmar and Leopoldine Hovorka. She met and married the love of her life, Edmund Jilli, in Salzburg, Austria. She was a kindergarten teacher, a Red Cross volunteer and a housewife, setting up households wherever the U.S. government took her husband: Frankfurt and Munich, Germany; Paris, France; Salzburg, Austria; Balboa, Panama; Baltimore, Md.; and finally, Sierra Vista, Ariz. (1972-1992). She was known for her Austrian home cooking and hospitality. She was preceded in death by her brother, Oskar Hovorka. She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Edmund Jilli; four children, Edmond (Jeanne) Jilli of Geneva, Switzerland, Rita (Bill) Volmer of Naples, Fla., Evelyn (Kent) French of Oro Valley, Ariz., and Mary Jane (Kevin) Spurlock of Herndon, Va.; six grandchildren, David Jilli, Valerie Jilli, Emily French, Spencer French, Alison Spurlock and Bridget Spurlock; a sister, Waltraud (Alois) Kovarovics of Vienna, Austria; sister-in-law, Anny Hovorka of Salzburg, Austria; numerous nieces and nephews, and great-nieces and great-nephews in Austria. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday, February 21, 2011 at 1:00 p.m. in the Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, 8560 North Shannon Road in Tucson. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Casa de la Luz Foundation (Hospice), 400 West Magee Road, Tucson, AZ 85704. Arrangements by DESERT SUNSET FUNERAL HOME.