Our Loving Father, Mario

Hello Friends,
It is with a heavy heart to tell you Our Loving Father, Mario passed away on June 5th. He was 89 years old and we were getting ready to celebrate his 90th Birthday this October, but sadly he didn’t make it. He lost his battle to cancer, he fought the disease bravely for 11 years.

 

This past April, our parents celebrated 64 years of marriage, a wonderful life together. Our father was a World War II veteran in the Italian Navy, a loving husband, a proud father to 4 children, 9 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren, and he left a legacy of love and devotion to his family and friends to treasure.

In 1949 he became a Coca-Cola Distributor in Naples and Capri, Italy. He distributed the popular soda throughout Italy and also helped launch and even played a part in the naming Coca-Cola’s first orange soda, Fanta.  In 1954 he took his family and immigrated to the US, leaving a fortune behind to be with his parents and siblings who were already in Brooklyn.

Our father was a very charming, loving man who was always impeccably dressed, acted like a gentleman and had a passion for the culture arts: his love for music, sports (mainly soccer), and ballroom dancing were passed onto to us.

He was a very respectful person who had deep rooted values and he gave us valuable lessons in life of which we would like to share with you.

-Be kind to people.
-The importance of God and the power of the prayer.
-The power of love means to be able to forgive others.
-Take care of the elderly, reminded us to send cards, food or even to call to check on them.
-Always mind your manners and give equal respect to everyone, accept people for the way they are and don’t try to change them.
– Always Abide by the Law.
– Keep your children grounded and humble.
-Taught us the value of money, and to work hard for it to make a life.
-And to keep family traditions, and what it means to be Italian.

Our father’s greatest accomplishment was the love he had for his family and friends. He created a close knit family of 40 people and its still growing. He was able to love and spend time with his small great-grandchildren, many of them whom still ask for him and recognize his face in photos. He was truly loved and he loved us back. He we remain in our hearts until the end of time.
This October we will remember him on what would have been his 90th birthday and we will honor him by loving each other and being grateful for the time we had with him. Rest in peace, Dad.

Love always,
your family

anna and liz selfie

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8 Comments

  1. Dear Anna and Liz,

    What a beautiful tribute to your father!!! It made me cry and I'm sure that he is watching proud of you both. I don't know you personally but following you girls makes me feel like family.
    You bring people in with your beautiful hearts and I love to bring your recipes onto my dinner table.
    My deepest condolences to you and your families.

    Sincerely,
    Tiziana

  2. Dear Anna & Liz. I am very sorry to hear about the passing of your father. Your tribute torn at my heart and is the most wonderful eulogy I've ever read. Your father must have been an amazing man. I was so touched that I shared this with my husband. We should all be so lucky to be thought of so fondly and loved so well. I am thinking about you all and hope that the wonderful memories are enough to see you through. The photos truly convey the happiness they had together and his passion for life. I knew you had been busy with a wedding, but had no idea that your father was ill. I lost both my parents by the time I was 32 and miss them every single day. My mother fought cancer for years, such a horrible disease. You have been MISSED!

    1. Dear Tricia, thank you for your kind words and condolences. Our dad went into the hospital a week before the Anna's son's wedding. He so much wanted to be there, reminding us every day to get his tuxedo ready for the big day. But he was too weak to leave the hospital. Even his nurses and doctors knew about the big day, so much they didn't have the heart to tell us the bad news until after the wedding. It happened so quickly. It so sad how this terrible disease takes our loved ones.

  3. Thank you Carol for your comforting and kind words. We can go on and on about that generation. A friend once said to me, they don't make men like your father any more. Thank you again!
    Xo

  4. My family is from Naples also but settled in Chicago. My husband and I still go
    every year for the month of September where I still have 26 cousins.
    Your fathers story warmed my soul and I felt like I was reading about my own father.
    Those wonderful old world values which they instilled in us all we have lovingly passed to our children. I am so sorry for your incredible loss but know first hand he will always be with you. Warmly, Carol from Chicago