After a full and fruitful life, Emma J. Gaul passed away peacefully on August 6, 2017, surrounded by her family at home in Feasterville. She was 96 years of age. 

Emma was the beloved wife of the late William A. Gaul who passed away in 1991.

Born in Philadelphia, she was the daughter of the late Guido "Steve", and Pia "Bea" DeStefano Cucchiella, sister of the late Sophie Marko and Alfred Cucchiella, and mother-in-law of the late Timothy Deans.

After graduating from Simon Gratz high school, she took a series of secretarial jobs, culminating in an executive secretarial position at the law firm of Eastburn & Gray.

At a time when few women practiced law, the senior partner's appreciation of her performance was such that he offered to finance her college and legal education; an ambition she was then considering.

However she quickly decided that having a family was, in fact, her highest priority, and chose a different direction.

Following their marriage in 1948, she and her husband Bill created a general construction company, which they ran together for the rest of their lives. She managed the office at home and tended the family while he supervised various job sites. They started off building single family homes and apartments, but soon switched to the commercial construction of churches, banks, schools, and industrial buildings, sprinkled throughout the Philadelphia suburbs.

After Bill retired, they took several trips to European locations. Emma and Bill both took great pleasure in the birth of their grandchildren; Emily and Anna.  After he passed away, she continued to be very invested in their lives.  Baby sitting and taking them on a wide variety of trips and activities was clearly a major focus for her throughout their childhood. At the same time, Emma also pursued a broad range of cultural activities with many girlfriends, as well as her niece Debbie, via numerous bus excursions.

Since her stroke in 2014, she spent most of her time at home in the care and company of her family. Although she was constrained regarding her range of activities during this period, her essential optimism and love of life never waned.

Emma is survived by her children, William, Donna, and James Gaul, and his wife, Robin. She also leaves behind her grandchildren, Emily Canarini and her husband Christopher, and Anna Gaul, as well as her niece, Deborah Barrett and husband Lewis, and daughter Kristen Sztukowski.

Relatives and friends are invited to meet with the family on Friday, August 11, 2017 from 9:30 AM until Emma's Funeral Mass 10:30 AM at Assumption B.V.M. Church, 1900 Meadowbrook Rd., Feasterville, PA 19053.  Her interment will follow at Resurrection Cemetery, Bensalem, PA. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to one of two charities: Inglis House (Ability Fund), 2600 Belmont Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19131, www.inglis.org/donate/the-ability-fund, or, Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, 383 Main Avenue, 5th Floor, Norwalk, CT 06851 www.themmrf.org