Vita Belle Gregorio

Vita Belle Mandina Gregorio, 91, passed from this life into eternal rest on Saturday, May 9, 2026. Born on June 14, 1934 — Flag Day — a date she loved sharing with anyone. Vita Belle lived a life defined by faith, family, and friendship. She was, in every sense of the words, a remarkable woman.

Vita Belle was born in Shreveport and raised in Oil City, Louisiana, the daughter of Tony and Frances Mandina. From an early age, she learned the value of hard work and the dignity of service, standing behind the counter of her family's Cut Rate Grocery, where her father Tony taught her to run the cash register, sell penny candy, and make change. Those lessons would serve her well for the rest of her life and instilled in her a love of community and an ethic of honest work that never left her.

Vita Belle was united in marriage to her beloved husband, Joe Gregorio, with whom she shared forty-one years of devoted partnership. Together they built a life and a family, and they put that same spirit of dedication into the Airline Food Market on East Texas Street, which they owned and operated. She believed deeply in the value of education and took enormous pride in the achievements of her children and grandchildren. Later in life, she reveled in following her great-grandchildren.

Faith was the cornerstone of Vita Belle's life. A devoted and active member of her church community for her entire life, she worshipped and served at St. John the Baptist in Oil City, Christ the King, St. Joseph’s, and most recently St. Jude’s. Her service to the church knew no limits — she organized, volunteered, served on committees, drove the van transporting students from Oil City to St. Pius, and ran the school cafeteria. Her devotion was expressed not only in prayer and service, but in her legendary cooking and baking. A fitting tribute to her life of service can be found standing outside St. Jude’s Church — a St. Joseph statue she dedicated to the parish in 2020, bearing the family names, in honor of St. Joseph, patron saint of workers and of Sicily.

Vita Belle’s kitchen was a place of love, artistry, and legend. Her Italian cookies, her spaghetti and meatballs, and her fig cookies were the stuff of family memory. Those who were fortunate enough to sit at her table knew they were in the presence of something special — a cook of rare and natural talent who poured her whole heart into every dish she prepared. She ultimately took that talent and owned and operated La Dolce Vita (The Sweet Life) Restaurant on North Market.

Vita Belle had a gift for friendship that was truly extraordinary. She made friends easily and kept them for a lifetime — some friendships stretching back more than eighty years to her days in Oil City. She loved people from all walks of life and had a warm and natural ability to make anyone feel welcomed and valued. She loved to travel and embraced every opportunity to see the world and meet new people. In her later years, she was an enthusiastic member of her Mah Jong group, where she was known for her sharp mind, her quick wit, and her ability to keep everyone laughing.

Vita served her community as a longtime member of the Bossier Housing Authority, the Immaculate Conception Society, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, and the Sons of Italy. She was a founding member of the Krewe of Centaur. She served the church as vice-president of the St. Jude’s Ladies Guild, where her cooking for feast days and cookie sales were successful fundraisers.

Vita Belle Mandina Gregorio was preceded in death by her parents, Tony and Frances Mandina; her husband, Joe Gregorio; her daughter, Gina; and her brother, Thomas. She is survived by her children, Tony (Marina) of New Orleans, Cathy of Shreveport, and Joe of Bossier City; grandchildren, Erica Lambert (Beau) of Houma, Mary Frances Dobry (Todd) of Jacksonville, Laura Zingale (Tom) of Brooklyn, and Anna Mahaffey of New Orleans; and great-grandchildren, Carson and Braylon Lambert, John and Annie Dobry, and Charlie and James Zingale. She is also survived by her sister, Lynn Mandina of Shreveport, and a wide and loving circle of family and friends whose lives are forever richer for having known her.

She was a proud daughter of Sicilian heritage, and she carried that pride with grace and joy throughout her ninety-one years.

Many thanks to all who sat by her side and cared for her, especially Georgia James Jones and later Nancy Rivers May, Vicky Kilpatrick, and Koreesha Walker.

Family and friends are invited to attend the visitation followed by the rosary beginning at 4:00 p.m. Thursday, May 14, at Rose-Neath Bossier. Funeral Mass will be Friday, May 15, at 11:30 a.m. at St. Jude Catholic Church, 4700 Palmetto Road, Bossier City.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Rose-Neath Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the St. Vincent de Paul Society.