REMEMBERING RITA DEL PIERO STRINGARI -FIGLIA DEL FRIULI

IVANO SAYS: The above photo (mostly Furlans) was taken on the Del Piero Ranch in Watsonville, circa 1948 at Rita's sister's (Aurora) wedding. Unfortunatly, Rita does not appear in the photo, however, members of the Del Piero and Comelli famlies do.

THE BELOW REMEMBRANCE OF RITA APPEARED IN THE SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL.

Rita was the daughter of Timo and Caterina Del Piero who were very close family friends to my parents Valentina and Gervasio (Bronco) Comelli. The Del Piero's who were originally from Nimis, Udine Italy (same birth place as my parents)owned and Apple Orchard in Watsonville near Pinto Lake. Timo originally began his farming career on the North Coast of Santa Cruz, CA ('su per la costa'). ADDIO RITA - UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN - ACROSS 'IL ULTIMO PONTE'.


***

With profound loss, we share with you the passing of Rita Del Piero Stringari. Rita was a passionate advocate for literacy and the language arts. For over sixty years she was a beloved teacher who inspired and enriched generations of families in the Pajaro Valley. Rita's childhood experience as an immigrant struggling with two languages gave her a personal perspective and a deep concern for the bilingual children she taught. She believed in the potential for success in every child and felt that learning to read and write well was the basis for achieving that success. Rita's passion for books and her dedication to the children of this Valley have had a lasting effect on the community.

Rita was born in the village of Nimis, Udine, in northeastern Italy, the first child of Caterina Comelli and Timoleone Del Piero. In 1921, still in her mother's arms, she immigrated to the United States through Ellis Island. She traveled by land across country to join her father, Timo, in Davenport, CA where he had settled the previous year. In time, her sister, Aurora, and brother, Richard, were born and the family moved to Castroville and then to Moss Landing and Watsonville where they farmed coastal acreage.

Rita attended Moss Landing School, Monterey High School and Hartnell College. In 1942 she graduated with an elementary teaching credential from San Jose State University and married Lawrence S. Stringari, a graduate of the University of Santa Clara, and a resident of Colorado. After the war ended, they moved with their children, Lorita and Tim, to Watsonville to be near family.

In the late 1940's, Rita began as a teacher at Moss Landing School and Pajaro Union Elementary School. She taught the primary grades and art [for all levels] until she retired in 1985. Following retirement, Rita continued to teach as a "preferred' substitute in part time and long term assignments and as a volunteer at T.S. McQuiddy School until 2008.

In 1976 Rita and a small group of professional educators founded the Asilomar Regional Reading Conference [ARRC] for the Santa Cruz, Monterey, and surrounding counties. The conference annually invited vendors and authors of children's literature to provide educators from local counties a weekend of ideas and speakers on language arts teaching materials. She continuously served on the board and as the Coordinator for Vendors through the final conference held in 2009.

The T.S. McQuiddy Elementary School teachers and parents honored Rita by naming the school library in her honor in 2006. Rita was appointed to the Watsonville City Council Library Board of Trustees and served as Board President the year that the newly constructed Watsonville Library was dedicated. She was a member of the Santa Cruz County Reading Association for almost forty years, served as President for two years, received the Gold Medal honor as Member of the Year. She was honored again in 2010 for her years of service.

Other organizations in which Rita was a long term active member include American Association of University Women, Y.L.I, Watsonville Women's Club, International Reading Association, California Reading Association, Pajaro Valley Arts Council, Delta Kappa Gamma.

Rita Del Piero Stringari is survived with loving memories by her family: Lorita Winfield [daughter] of Scottsdale, Az; Tim [son] and Kay Stringari of Truckee; Aurora [sister] and Clyde Mitchell of San Mateo; Richard [brother] Del Piero of Watsonville. She will be dearly missed by her nieces and nephews and their families: Kathy and Michael Ladra, Dr. Matthew Ladra, Jeff Ladra, Michael Mitchell, Marc and Tina Del Piero, Paul Del Piero, John Del Piero, Dr. Eric and Teresa Del Piero, Kris Del Piero. She has the love of her Winfield step grandchildren and step great grandchildren, the Virgil and Barbara Stringari Family, the Ileene Ericson Family and Rita's Italian cousins, the Comellis and Del Pieros of Nimis, Italy.A Memorial Mass will be held at Our Lady Help of Christians Church [The Valley Church] 2401 East Lake Avenue, Watsonville, California, 95076 on Saturday, July 9, 2011, at 2:15 pm. A reception will follow at the Church Community Hall for Rita's family, friends and former students. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Rita's memory to: The Cabrillo College Foundation, [memo: The AAUW Watsonville Branch Endowed Scholarship Fund] 6500 Soquel Drive, Aptos CA 95003; Hospice of Santa Cruz County, 940 Disc Drive, Scotts Valley, CA 95066; or to the Watsonville City Library.

Published in Santa Cruz Sentinel on June 29, 2011

REMEMBERING 'FIGLIA DEL FRIULI' EVELINA CANTARUTTI

TOGETHER AGAIN - ACROSS 'IL ULTIMO PONTE'

(Photo: Evelina on the left, and Valentina, c. 1946)

1912-2011 - Evelina Cantarutti, nee Venturini, was born in Rodeano Basso, a small town in the Friuli Region of Northeastern Italy. Her childhood and upbringing there would forever shape her life, values and view of the world. Evelina passed away peacefully the morning of March 28, 2011 at Nazareth House in San Rafael, California.

Evelina met her husband, Guido, in the nearby town of Cisterna. The couple married in 1931. Their first son, Carino (Reno), was born in Cisterna shortly thereafter.

In 1935, Evelina with her infant son, immigrated to America where they rejoined Guido, who had previously immigrated to the North Coast of Santa Cruz, near Davenport, CA. There they were befriended by Gervasio (Bronco) and Valentina Comelli, who had also immigrated to America from Friuli. The two families formed bonds that would last a life time.

Initially, Guido made his living working as a rancere on the Venturini Ranch, su per la costa.The newly immigrated family lived in a ‘wind blown shack’ located on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, seven miles north of Davenport. (Evelina would often say in Italian, “We had nothing then. Nothing. No money,no property. All we had was the clothes on our back and il vento (the wind)in our faces.") During this period there second son, Lido was born. In 1947, a daughter, Norma, was born to them. This was after they had relocated to Richmond, California. (Thus,Norma didn't get to experience life in the 'windblown shack' su per la costa)

Evelina undertook her life in the new world and with her growing family with characteristic hard work and determination –trying to learn the language, always making new friends and ever maintaining her ties, contacts and support with all of the family relatives in Italy. This included two brothers and sisters and many other relatives. For many years, Evelina and Guido with their family, lived in Richmond, CA, then moved in the early fifties to the home she loved so much in El Cerrito. Evelina continued to live there following the death of her beloved husband, Guido, in 1971, and until moving into Nazareth House eight years ago.

Evelina lived a long and full life and cherished it all: the family, the friendships, the hard work, Italy, her town of Rodeano Basso, America, Davenport,Santa Cruz, Richmond, El Cerrito and San Rafael. She especially loved and was proud of all her grandchildren; Dino, Steven and Gary Cantarutti(parents Franca and Reno); Jeffrey and Perry Cantarutti (parnts Mary Brent and Lido); and Anne Marie van Amson and Lisa Beebout(parents Norma and Randy Reiter) plus six great grandchildren! Her children were all around her as she left this world, and wish to take this opportunity to thank everyone who loved and helped her, especially the clergy, the medical staff and caregivers at Nazarath House. Evelina’s family is very grateful.

-------

IVANO SAYS: The Rosary was held Wednesday evening (3-30-2011) at Monte’s Chapel of the Hills, San Anselmo CA. The Funeral Mass was celebrated the next day at Nazareth House, 245 Nova Albion Way, San Rafael, CA 94903. In lieu of flowers The family prefers contributions to Nazareth House, or a charity of one’s choice.

ADDIO EVELINA. UNTIL WE ME AGAIN “ACROSS IL ULTIMO PONTE”.

FERNANDO MORO; FIGLIO DELLA COSTA - 'FIGLIO DI FERRO'

Photo: Fernando Moro (forefront) sitting atop his 'Angry Beast' with side-kick Joe Alves, in Santa Cruz, c.1950. (Courtsey Fernando Moro Family Collection).


FERNANDO MORO, THE LAST OF ‘THE FIGLI DI FERRO’ (SONS OF IRON) PASSED AWAY LAST TUESDAY. BELOW IS HIS OBITUARY AS IT APPEARED
IN THE SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL:


Services will be Monday for Fernando Moro who passed away January 8, 2008 at a local hospital. He was 86.
He was born in Tulare, California and moved to Davenport as a child. He grew up in Davenport where he attended school. In 1958 he married Gloria Lippi and the couple moved to Santa Cruz where he has lived since. He worked many years for Lonestar Industries in Davenport as a brick mason and retired in 1981. He enjoyed camping and was an avid motorcycle enthusiast. He was a longtime member of the Marconi Club.
He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Gloria Moro of Santa Cruz; two sisters, Yoli Chavez of Santa Cruz and Mary Brown of Santa Cruz. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Fred Moro. Services will be held Monday January 14, 2008 at Benito & Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel, 1050 Cayuga St, Santa Cruz, CA at 2:00 pm. Viewing hours will be at Pacific Gardens Chapel on Sunday from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Entombment will be in Holy Cross Cemetery, 2271 7th Ave, Santa Cruz, CA.


Published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel on 1/11/2008.


IVANO SAYS:


AS FAR AS I KNOW FERNANDO, THE ELDEST SON IN A FURLAN FAMILY (SILVIO AND ELENA MORO OF DAVENPORT), WAS THE LAST LIVING MEMBER OF “THE FIGLI DI FERRO”, A LOOSE KNIT MOTORCYCLE GROUP THAT RODE THE HIGHWAYS AND BYWAYS SU PER LA COSTA. AS I WRITE IN ‘LA NOSTRA COSTA’ (P.178) THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE GROUP WERE JOE GEMIGNANI, (MY UNCLE), FRED DIMEO, AND ALBIE ROSSI. ALL ARE GONE NOW; ONLY THE MEMORIES ARE LEFT FOR US TO REMEMBER THEM BY .

FERNANDO WAS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE ARMED FORCES DURING WWII. IN 1944, HE WAS CAPTURED AND MADE A PRISONER-OF-WAR BY THE GERMANS. HE REMAINED THEIR PRISONER UNTIL THE END OF THE WAR IN MARCH 1945.

WHAT FOLLOWS BELOW IS WHAT I WROTE IN ‘LA NOSTRA COSTA’ ABOUT FERNANDO MORO (LNC: P 180):


“I thought that Fernando had the best motorcycle of the group, and he always kept it in pristine condition. His motorcycle was also one of the loudest. You could hear Fernando coming from a very long way off. He usually started his journey from his home in Davenport and came south on the Coast Road. I can still remember the vibrating sound of his motorcycle approaching the gulch, then quickly descending into il buco before roaring up the steep grade. Rushing to the side of the road, I would see Fernando, perhaps for only a split second-hunched over on the handlebars, dressed in a black leather jacket and black leather pilot’s hat with the goggles pulled over his eyes -flashing by with
a burst of speed. On his trip back from Santa Cruz, I could hear the roar of his motorcycle as it approached the bend near the Rodoni Ranch. Whoosh! Like il vento, Fernando and his motorcycle blew by the house, going down into the gulch and up the grade on the other side. All the while his motorcycle’s engine roared like and angry, attacking beast. I continued to listen to its loud growling sound until it faded completely away, su per la costa. I swear that, on a quiet evening, I could hear that “angry beast” all the way up to Davenport.” *

ADDIO FERNANDO MORO. MAY YOU RIDE ONCE AGAIN CON IL VENTO.

*Copyrighted by Ivano Franco Comelli, and appears in his book “La Nostra Costa” (Our Coast), ‘A Family’s Journey To And From The North Coast of Santa Cruz’, published by
Authorhouse,www.authorhouse.com

LOU MORO: FURLAN, AMICO DELLA COSTA, AMERICAN

I met Lou Moro in 1955. That was over a half century ago. Dwight D. Eisenhower was the President of the United States. The Korean War had just ended and some of us had never even heard of Vietnam. Life was good. After all an Italian, Rocky Marciano, was the Heavyweight Champion of the World.

I was 18 years old, and had just graduated from Santa Cruz High School; that fall I enrolled at San Jose State College. At the time, I was living with my friend Marvin Del Chiaro, at a rooming house on South Sixth Street, located a few blocks south of the College. As faith would have it, a small market was located at Sixth and Williams, a short distance away. I later was to learn that it was called the L&F Market which stood for Lou and Frank (Moro).

There, for the first time, I met the Moro Family. Frank, Lou Moro’s Father and Enes, could usually be found at the front counter. At times Enes’s young daughters, Donna and Sandy also could be found there. To the rear of the store, behind a small butcher counter, stood a young, very good looking man, full of energy with a big smile on his face.

“That’s my husband Lou”, Enes informed me with a glint in her eye.. If my calculations are correct, Lou Moro would have been 35 years old.

For the next few years as I attended the College I frequented the market, buying small food essentials such as cookies, ice cream, lunch meat, bread, etc. I got to know the Moros pretty well. Enes told me she was from Santa Cruz and that her mother Velia, still lived there. I also found out that Lou was born in the Friuli Region of Italy. Lou along with his father Frank and his mother Lisa, were Furlans. My mother and father were born in the same region and were also Furlans. This was extra-ordinary, because Furlans in this area are few an far between.

In 1959, I joined the San Jose Police Force. In 1960, President Eisenhower, who was nearing the end of his second term in office, sent me an invitation to join the United States Army. This of course, was an offer that I could not refuse…literally. (Yes, I was drafted into the Army.) Before leaving for the Army, the Moro family came to Santa Cruz and I introduced them to my parents, Bronco and Valentina. Also hanging around the house was my brother Giovanni Primo(John). So by chance, Donna met John for the first time.

In 1962, while still in the Army, I got another invitation. This time it was an invitation to be Best Man at John and Donna’s wedding. Another offer I could not refuse.

Thus, Donna and John got married and started their family in Santa Cruz. Shortly thereafter, Lou and Enes, with Sandy tagging along came to live in Santa Cruz to be closer to their eldest daughter and their soon to be born granddaughter, Denise. (Christine, their second granddaughter would be born a few years later.) So it happened that Lou Moro became and established Santa Cruzan, living the rest of his life in Santa Cruz.

As a Santa Cruzan, Lou Moro did many good things. I would like to say that he did many great things, however, I believe Lou Moro would be embarrassed if I described his life with superlatives. Lou Moro was a good man who did good things. His greatest gift to his daughters, his sons-in-law, his grandchildren,his great-grandchildren and to us, was his example on how to live a good life doing good things. Forgive me if I use and old and worn out cliché: Lou Moro knew how to "talk the talk and walk the walk.”.

Lou More was a constant in my life. He was always there to give me guidance and advice. And it seemed to me that Lou Moro never got old. In my mind Lou Moro was forever young, full of pep and energy and smiles for everyone. But of course, Lou Moro did get old and last week Donna informed me that her beloved father had passed away.

In Italian there is an old saying, sometimes uttered about a dying man. “Per lui e finita la cuccagna”. Figuratively speaking it means “For him, the party is over”. However, if we truly believe in Jesus Christ, Our Lord, then we must believe in his promise to us. Death is not the end; it is just the beginning.

Thus, now I envision, Lou Moro, standing in a field laden in flowers of lavender and gold, basking in sunlight, and surrounded by all his loving relatives and friends that have gone before him. Amazing enough, all his relatives and friends are young and strong and free from sickness and crippling infirmities. As for Lou Moro …….he stands there in there midst’s, appearing as he appeared to me that day more than a half century ago, at that small market on Sixth Street, young and strong with his famous smile on his face. Dear family and friends, in my mind, Lou Moro has gone to a place were he will be forever young. A place where “la cuccagna no finisce mai piu”. A place where life is good and the party never ends.

Adio, Louie Moro

Ivano