In Memory of Wake D'Elia
Tallmadge Wakeman “Wake” D’Elia was born on Dec. 16, 1979, in Leonardtown, Md. He grew up in Solomons, Md., on the banks of the Patuxent River, a place that he loved his whole life. As an ardent and skilled in-line skater, he played both ice and roller hockey in his youth. He was a talented photographer and videographer, which he began doing as an avocation in high school and which later became his life’s work. He was a 1998 graduate of the Key School in Annapolis, Md., and a 2002 graduate of the University at Albany SUNY, where he majored in history and mass communication and made the dean’s list. He was a great skier, a music lover and music composer, playing guitar and bass.
In 2004, he married Maria Lamberti from Cava de’ Tirreni, Italy, whom he met at SUNY Albany. They lived in Clifton Park, N.J., then Cava dei Tirreni and finally in St. Petersburg, Fla., where he died on May 5, 2018, in a tragic accident at home. He is survived by his wife, Maria Lamberti; his parents, Jennifer Hunnicutt D’Elia and Christopher F. D’Elia of St. Petersburg, Fla., and Baton Rouge, La.; his grandmother, Marian D’Elia of Mystic, Conn.; and his aunts and uncles, Tonita Disch of Mount Dora, Fla., Harry Hunnicutt, of Dexter, Mo., Kermit Hunnicutt of New Smyrna, Fla., John and Lesley Trevor of Lake Placid, N.Y., and Jonathan and Marj D’Elia of Bridgeport, Conn.; eleven cousins; his in-laws, Carmine Lamberti and Emilia Rispoli; brothers-in-law, Vincenzo and Silvio Lamberti; sister-in-law, Nicoletta Cirino; and his cherished nieces, Camilla and Alice Lamberti.
If you prefer to make your gift by check, make check payable to: LSU Foundation
Notation Line: T. Wakeman (Wake) D’Elia Memorial Scholarship in the School of Music
Send to: LSU Foundation
3796 Nicholson Dr.
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
The LSU Foundation will work with Mr. Delia’s family to establish the purpose of tribute funds contributed through this effort. His family will also represent all donors for any needed revision to the purpose of the fund.
The LSU Foundation will share notices about memorial gifts with Mr. D'Elia's family. We do not share the gift amount unless a donor explicitly gives us permission to do so.