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Larissa Acocella, of Pelham Manor and Manhattan, died Tuesday, Oct. 11, following a “long illness which she fought courageously,” according to her obituary.
Acocella was a 2002 graduate of Pelham Memorial High School and later attended Fordham University in New York City.
After college, she took a job with JP Morgan Chase, where she was most recently an executive director on the company’s Consumer and Community Banking Strategy team, her memorial said.
When not at work, relatives said Acocella “loved nothing more” than spending time with friends and family, as well as walking, photographing, and exploring New York City’s museums, parks, and historical sites.
“She was a true New Yorker,” reads her obituary. “She will be remembered for her loving heart, zest for life, brilliant mind, and charitable endeavors.”
News of Acocella’s death was announced on a Facebook page for Pelham Memorial High School’s class of 2002.
“Whether you met her in Siwanoy (elementary), middle school or high school, whether your paths crossed frequently or seldomly, she had a smile and strength of character that could not be ignored,” Whitney Marie, a former classmate, wrote on the page. “She will certainly be missed.”
“There was never a more beautiful, kind and lovely person on this planet,” Barbara Schori wrote on Acocella’s online memorial page. “She was as devoted to her family as they were to her. My love and condolences to the whole family.”
Acocella is survived by her parents Charles and Elisse Acocella; her twin brother David and sister-in-law Rachel; niece and goddaughter Julianna; family dog Cherie; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends, her memorial said.
She was predeceased by her brother Justin in 2011.
Acocella was a “grateful” recipient of organ donation, and her obituary encouraged people to register as an organ donor online.
Those who wish to make a donation in her honor were asked to consider the Copa Syndrome Foundation or any charitable organization.
Funeral services were held Monday, Oct. 17 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Pelham Manor.
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