My mom was gifted with the biggest smile and most contagious amazing laugh. She could light up any room by just being in it. She was supportive in a way that truly impacted the lives of everyone she came in contact with. Her ability to really make a difference was so natural as was her talent for cooking. She loved to be in the kitchen making anything Italian, first with my older brother Tommy then with my older daughter Alexis. I guess it’s a big sibling thing because Brooklyn and I don’t really cook.
Maybe she was so great with people because she grew up in a big family. Her mom “Nena” and dad “Bumpy” had five kids of their own. Her Aunt Carleen, known as Aunty Ca, Nena’s sister, would bring her girls over to play and have sleepovers all the time. Nena and Aunty Ca have a brother named Mort who would bring his 5 kids up from FL during school break. She was always surrounded by love, it’s no wonder she was able to give so much love to so many people.
When she met my dad at church in CT she fell in love but he was leaving for Texas. She prayed for a sign, “If it is meant to be, have him send for me” and of course dad offered her a ticket to join him. He proposed on the water in a small shrimp boat called “Golf pride”. They were married in Elizabeth’s Park Rose Gardens and moved to back to Texas where they had both us kids. Before I was even one year old they moved back to CT to be closer to family. It wasn’t just her family she got when they moved back to CT. My dad’s family welcomed her and we would have many family get togethers with the Viccaro’s and the Scully’s.
When Tommy and I were growing up in New Britain, Mom started her own home daycare called the Sunshine Patch. Doesn’t that suit her? Later she worked at New Britain General Hospital. I volunteered there with her one summer and she introduced me to everyone from the head of oncology to the cleaning lady Maria who would make rice and beans or our family. Most of the time dad worked two jobs but no matter how busy they were they always planned something special for family time.
Mom and Dad would take us camping during summer. First they tried tents but got rained out, then we rented a camper, we even bought our own once. Mom and Dad were just at an RV show hoping to find one that would sleep them with all 5 grandbabies, with me, my brother, and our spouses all together. She loved them more than I know how to tell you.
I remember when she heard I was in labor with Brooklyn. She left work right away and just ran right into the delivery room. The nurse said, “someone hold the other leg” and there she was grabbing my leg and lifting it up laughing. With my husband Ben on one side and my mom on the other it was the perfect picture of my two best friends. She was also there when Alexis and Cherry were born.
My moms life is filled with so many people’s stories I wish I time to tell you about all the lives she touched, there’s just too much to say. She had so much more planned too.
She always told us when it was her time to go we needed to let her go. Honoring her wishes is the hardest thing my family and I have gone through. I know I’m not ready to accept it but she wouldn’t want that. As heartbreaking as it is she would want us to focus on loving each other and being there for each other, especially her grandbabies.
This isn’t goodbye for her. She knows Jesus and is saving us a place in Heaven where we will see her again. Until then, I love you mom.
