Maria Antonia Miceli
April 5, 1919 — November 18, 2015
Maria "Mamma" Antonia Miceli was born to Joseph and Vicenza Genchi on April 5, 1919 in LaSalle, Illinois and passed away from natural causes on November 18, 2015 in Whittier, California. She was 96 years old.
Mary lived a full life. The Italians call it. “La Dolce Vita”, The Sweet Life. But life was all but sweet in her earlier years.
Just 4 months before she was born, Mary lost her father. Her mother, after 4 years of continuing to live in the US, felt it was time to move the entire family from LaSalle, Illinois, back to Italy, where they all could be closer to relatives and friends.
Mary, her two brothers, Joe and Rocco and her widowed mother struggled to make ends meet in a one-room stone house, on the outskirts of the small fishing village of Cefalù.
Mary and her two brothers, Joe and Rocco, were very close, but when their mother passed away after 11 years of moving back to Italy, the family was separated and Mary spent the remainder of her young adult years living with her grandmother. By the time Mary reached 18, she met and fell in love with Santo Giuseppe Miceli. They were married a year later. Soon after, the young couple gave birth to their daughter Tecla. It wasn’t long after that the Second World War broke out and Italy fell under occupation of German forces. Mary recollected memories of bombings and running into the hills of Cefalù to take shelter from the air raids. As the war came to an end, it was decided that the Miceli family would move back to the United States in hopes of finding greater opportunities. Times were difficult as the family struggled to make ends meet. Mary’s husband Giuseppi worked as a carpenter and later opened a shoe shop. Mary found a job working in a book bindery house. Mary always loved to cook and in the early 1960’s, she opened a small delicatessen in Montebello, California called Ginos Delicatessen. The venture lasted only 4 years and Mary decided it was time to pursue her other love- sewing and dressmaking. She opened a small seamstress shop in Fullerton, California where her and her daughter Tecla designed and produced beautifully hand made dresses. Mary continued this line of work throughout most of her life, but she never abandoned her love of cooking. She was known to everyone as Mamma. She was always in charge of planning and cooking the main family meals, especially during the holidays and family gatherings. Throughout her Life, Mary maintained a close relationship to her two older brothers, Joe and Rocco Genchi. They spent Holidays together and organized social and family events. Between the three of them, they were the pillars of the Genchi and Miceli family and the glue that held all the subsequent generations together.
Mary derived great joy by giving happiness to the people around her. It fulfilled her to give her heart to the people in her life. She helped her daughter Tecla raise her two sons, Mark and Scott. Her love, kindness and home cooked Italian meals were the cornerstone of her family.
Mary is survived by her loving daughter Tecla Maria Miceli of Montebello, California and her two grandsons; Mark (Jeri) Ulves of Anaheim Hills, California and Scott Ulves of Irvine, California. She also leaves behind her four great grandchildren; Blake Ulves, Jordan Ulves, Mason Ulves and Kyle Luna. Mary was greeted at Heaven's Gate by her husband Santo Guseppe Miceli and her brothers Joe & Rocco Genchi who preceded her in death.
Condolences may be sent to her family through our website.
Mary lived a full life. The Italians call it. “La Dolce Vita”, The Sweet Life. But life was all but sweet in her earlier years.
Just 4 months before she was born, Mary lost her father. Her mother, after 4 years of continuing to live in the US, felt it was time to move the entire family from LaSalle, Illinois, back to Italy, where they all could be closer to relatives and friends.
Mary, her two brothers, Joe and Rocco and her widowed mother struggled to make ends meet in a one-room stone house, on the outskirts of the small fishing village of Cefalù.
Mary and her two brothers, Joe and Rocco, were very close, but when their mother passed away after 11 years of moving back to Italy, the family was separated and Mary spent the remainder of her young adult years living with her grandmother. By the time Mary reached 18, she met and fell in love with Santo Giuseppe Miceli. They were married a year later. Soon after, the young couple gave birth to their daughter Tecla. It wasn’t long after that the Second World War broke out and Italy fell under occupation of German forces. Mary recollected memories of bombings and running into the hills of Cefalù to take shelter from the air raids. As the war came to an end, it was decided that the Miceli family would move back to the United States in hopes of finding greater opportunities. Times were difficult as the family struggled to make ends meet. Mary’s husband Giuseppi worked as a carpenter and later opened a shoe shop. Mary found a job working in a book bindery house. Mary always loved to cook and in the early 1960’s, she opened a small delicatessen in Montebello, California called Ginos Delicatessen. The venture lasted only 4 years and Mary decided it was time to pursue her other love- sewing and dressmaking. She opened a small seamstress shop in Fullerton, California where her and her daughter Tecla designed and produced beautifully hand made dresses. Mary continued this line of work throughout most of her life, but she never abandoned her love of cooking. She was known to everyone as Mamma. She was always in charge of planning and cooking the main family meals, especially during the holidays and family gatherings. Throughout her Life, Mary maintained a close relationship to her two older brothers, Joe and Rocco Genchi. They spent Holidays together and organized social and family events. Between the three of them, they were the pillars of the Genchi and Miceli family and the glue that held all the subsequent generations together.
Mary derived great joy by giving happiness to the people around her. It fulfilled her to give her heart to the people in her life. She helped her daughter Tecla raise her two sons, Mark and Scott. Her love, kindness and home cooked Italian meals were the cornerstone of her family.
Mary is survived by her loving daughter Tecla Maria Miceli of Montebello, California and her two grandsons; Mark (Jeri) Ulves of Anaheim Hills, California and Scott Ulves of Irvine, California. She also leaves behind her four great grandchildren; Blake Ulves, Jordan Ulves, Mason Ulves and Kyle Luna. Mary was greeted at Heaven's Gate by her husband Santo Guseppe Miceli and her brothers Joe & Rocco Genchi who preceded her in death.
Condolences may be sent to her family through our website.
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