Maria Tessitore Kruchten, age 55, died early Tuesday morning, December 11, 2018. She was born July 16, 1963, in Dayton, Ohio, to Joseph Tessitore and Phyllis Truluck Tessitore.  Maria was diagnosed with cancer shortly before Thanksgiving.  She passed away peacefully at Florida Hospital Altamonte, with her son and daughter by her side.

Maria graduated from Bishop Moore Catholic High School in Orlando, Florida in 1981, where she was beloved by all she met.  She went on to receive a Bachelor of Science degree from Florida State University, and worked in the Orlando area as a mortgage broker.

Maria is survived by her parents, Joseph and Phyllis Tessitore, of Apopka; her daughter, Alexis Kruchten, of Longwood; her son, Matthew Kruchten, currently at the University of Florida Medical School; and her three brothers: Joseph Tessitore and his wife, Pam, of Debary; Michael Tessitore and his wife, Kim, of Orlando; and Christopher Tessitore and his wife, Debbie, of Maitland; as well as many nieces, nephews; and her beloved dogs, Juno and Lucy.

A funeral mass will be celebrated for Maria on Monday, December 17, at 11:00 am, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 834 S. Orange Blossom Tr., in Apopka.  In lieu of flowers, those who wish to remember Maria in a special way are asked to make a donation in her name to St. Jude Children's Hospital.

To donate to St. Jude Children's Hospital in Maria's name, you can call 901–251–1196 and give Maria's Memorial ID #11473388. If you do not wish to call to make your donation, you can always go online to stjude.org and click the option "dedicate your donation" followed by the option "in memory of" and provide Maria's full name, Maria Tessitore Kruchten.