Grateful for Nonnas

Nonna – my Sicilian Grandmother-in-love.

Age 95

She was always so thankful for even the littlest thing you did for her.

She had a great sense of humor.

She was an example of making do with what you had.

She could turn lemons into lemonade.

She thought 3 pairs of pants and 2 shirts was too much clothing to own and would give half of it away to someone who needed it.

She was a good cook in her day.

She made the best homemade tomato sauce.

She had some great stories.

She would forget that I had fed her dinner and ask for more.

She went to work in a factory at age 14 and earned $1 a day to help her family through the Depression.

She read with the children.

She had family members that lived to 100, something she had hoped to do herself.

Up until about 2 years ago, she regularly went for walks.

She encouraged me as a mother.

She loved her family.

She loved her country and served in the Women’s Army Corp.

She was proud to be an American. She was the first in her family born here to Italian immigrants.

She and her husband started a local college.

She and her family lived in Iran for several years teaching there.

She raised 4 children and went to college at the same time…nowadays that’s not a big deal. 60 years ago it was an accomplishment especially without a high school education.

She brought a lot of love to this family. It was a joy to serve her and have her here.

I miss her greatly.