Sally On: Aunt Rose

From my sister:

Greg and I went to the cemetery today for Aunt Rose's burial. Thanks Earl and Colleen for organizing this from afar. We were glad it could be worked out so that we could be there. Nick from Colonial did a nice job. He read some ritualistic funeral prayers (It has a name but I forget what he called it). It was very lovely. We also said an Our Father! Amazing what the mind retains after all these years! It felt good to be there to say good-bye.
We looked at the headstone with Uncle Gus, Aunt Jean and Aunt Rose's names.
I can't believe Uncle Gus died in 1967! I was 7 and am surprised I have such clear memories of him. Then Greg and I went on the search for Section 46, row G, tier I, grave #2! It took us about 5 minutes to figure out that the unmarked cemetery was actually marked! You just need to look at the side of the stones to see the engraved numbers on them. Alas! After 10 or so minutes more we found Nettie and Sam! I told Greg that Nettie was probably saying "It's about time you bastards came to see me!" Greg rightfully corrected me and said that she would have said "someofabitches!" Now that I know how close Holy Cross is I plan to go back and visit. It's a nice enough cemetery as those things go. They really crowd them in there! It was kind of weird saying goodbye to the last of the DeFranzas and seeing so many of them there.

After that I was grateful that I had my brother with me and we had the opportunity to spend a little while together, reminisce about the past and talk about the present. I am thankful each day for the many blessings that are often taken for granted!

Rock On!

Sally




Family Tree:

Michelina Boriello DeFranza and Augustus DeFranza gave birth to:

Nettie Jean Rose Gus Helen & Earl
(originally named Antoinette, Angelica, Rosa, Augustus, Helena and Earlando)

Nettie married Sam Porcello and gave birth to Janet and Joeseph

Janet married Donald Cummings and gave birth to Me, Sally and Greg

Helen married Charles Lynch and gave birth to Earl who married Colleen (now in Santa Barbara)

And now, so many of them are dead. And more will die. I along with them.