Dear Readers,
November 2nd is All Souls Day. The early Christians, like their pagan ancestors remembered their dead on certain days of the year. The present date of our yearly commemoration of the dead was established in the tenth century. Here are a few colorful but classy heavenly bound Italian American Souls who truly lit up the room by walking in, rather than by walking out: In January 2010, among the departed was Sergio Pardini.
Born in Lucca, Italy, in 1928 he arrived in America with little more than his wits and a willingness to work hard. As one of the founders of Bell Markets in San Francisco in 1964, he established Pardini’s of Marin in San Rafael. Sergio was also the proud recipient of the 1984 Gold Medal from the Chamber of Commerce of Lucca, Italy in recognition of outstanding achievements of a Son of Lucca.
In 1952, Sergio married Tosca Ferroni whom he had met at a neighborhood dance. They raised three children, Mario, Paul and daughter Laura in San Francisco, and as a couple Sergio and Tosca were well known in the Bay Area’s vibrant Italian-American community. Sergio was a doting and generous family man. He played soccer for the Italian American Athletic Club and enjoyed riding around on his Italian Vespa. He loved to dance, and few surpassed him in a waltz or tango.
He enjoyed gardening, all forms of exercise at the SF Olympic Club and had a passion for travel with his wife Tosca. In February, among the departed were Julius Caserza, born in 1932 in Colma, CA. He was a graduate of Sierra High School Class of 1949 and played on the football team. He remained a booster and was inducted into their Hall of Fame. Mr. Caserza also had been a youth coach both in football and baseball.
He had been employed with Sunset Scavengers in San Francisco for 15 years, Goodall Rubber Company in South San Francisco for 20 years and, for 25 years with his wife, Angela, owned and operated Monterey Florist in San Francisco and Sharon Heights Florist in Stanford. He was a member of the Italian Athletic Club, Sons of Italy of San Francisco, Italian Catholic Federation, and charter member of UNICO, Solano County.
Frank Fasi, died in Honolulu, Hawaii at age 89. He was a good friend of the late Roger Boschetti, L’Italo-Americano No. California Representative and Maritime Union Official. Frank Fasi served as Honolulu mayor for 22 years and ran unsuccessfully for Hawaii governor five times. Mr. Fasi was mayor from 1968 until 1980 and then again in 1984-94.
His last run for statewide office came in 1998, when he lost the Republican gubernatorial primary. In March 2010, San Francisco lost a native son, Frank D’Atri. Born in 1922 to Sicilian immigrants he was raised on Potrero Hill, which although not as well known as North Beach in 1950’s was home to some of the handsome and personable specimens of male Italinità in town. Frank D’Atri served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and upon his discharge, attended U.S.F. the University of San Francisco and was elected Student Body president in 1950.
He then began a 38-year career in the liquor industry where his fluent Italian, good nature and ready smile were always welcome in San Francisco’s finest restaurants, back in the days when most of them were owned and operated by Italians. Also in March, was the loss of vince Tringali, legendary football coach, teacher, and businessman with a larger than life personality. A native of San Francisco, raised in North Beach, Vince was born in 1928 to Carmelo and Mary Tringali.
Vince played on the fable “glory team” of USF (1951-52). He played guard on a defensive line that included the likes of Gino Marchetti, Dick Stanfel, and Bob St. Clair (all went on to become NFL greats). Vince maintained, “The USF experience was the greatest of my life and helped mold me for future accomplishments, shaping the rest of my life and making everything next including the US Army, coaching, teaching, and business world – easy”. Vince is survived by his wife of 53 years, Jean Tringali and his children Vince and Lisa.
In June Angelina Genaro Alioto died at age 94. Angelina was the matriarch of one of San Francisco’s most powerful politi- cal families, former first lady (1969-1975) of San Francisco and divorced wife of ex-Mayor Joseph Alioto. I first met her in 1959 when she graciously opened her palatial home on Presidio Terrace, for a House Tour to benefit St. Rose Academy, when her daughter was a student there. I went on the tour to get some decorating ideas for my first home, a small four room apartment, and wound up installing white and gold fleur de lis accent tiles and gold sculptured swan faucets in my bathroom which my father, somewhat amused dubbed “La Gallina D’Oro”.
Mrs. Alioto was known for her sense of style and artistic eye and when her children were grown she owned and operated a retail store on Union Street, A. Genaro’s Arts and Antiques, which specialized in fine lines of china and silverware and objects of art. Mrs. Alioto was born in 1915 in Dallas, Texas. Her paternal grandfather had immigrated to Dallas from Corleone, Sicily, in the late 1800’s, and founded the Texas Produce Company.
Angelina Genaro was the daughter of a wealthy real estate investor and beer distributor. She graduated at the top of her class from the prestigious Aunspaugh School of Art, where she excelled at creating large paintings and portraits. In 1941 she married Joe Alioto, whom she’d met through a family friend. As Joe law practice grew and his political profile rose, the family moved from North Beach into 34 Presidio Terrace, a mansion that came to be a gathering place for the city’s powerbrokers.
Mrs. Alioto decorated the estate to resemble what she described as a “Pompeian villa”. When her husband became mayor in 1968, the new first lady was celebrated by society columnists for transforming the décor of Room 200 at City Hall. Mrs. Alioto also owned an entrepreneurial streak; she earned a real estate license and later bought several flats as long-term investments.
Mrs. Alioto raised six children in the glare of a political spotlight that she openly detested. She drew national attention when she abandoned her husband for 18 days during his 1974 campaign for governor after he failed to introduce his family at a banquet in his honor. The infamous banquet walk-out took place in January 1974 in Palm Springs. An all-points bulletin was issued in five Western states before Mrs. Alioto turned up back in the city and revealed she’d quietly visited 14 missions in California.
At a news conference held upon her return, Mrs. Alioto sat next to her husband and said, “I just want ... dammit ... to just be introduced. I feel as if the six children and I are cornerstone”. A year after her return, Mrs. Alioto filed for divorce. She later moved to Black-Hawk in Contra Costa Country and never remarried. Joseph Alioto, who remarried in 1978 to Kathleen Sullivan, died in 1998. Angelina who was the mother of six children, Lawrence, Joseph, John, Thomas, Michael and Angela, told reporters in 1976 as her divorce played out in the headlines, “They say behind every successful man is a good wife. That should be, by the side of every successful man. Because if you stand in the shadow of a man too long, you’ll wilt. Stand by his side and you’ll get a little sunshine.”
Also in June, was the passing of Isabelle “Bella” Farrow, often called “The Queen of Nob Hill” for her energetic dedication to philanthropic causes. Bella’s principal cause was St. Francis Hospital. She started as a volunteer “Pink Lady” visiting patients and joined the Auxiliary in the 1960’s. In 1986 she created the annual “Hob Nob on the Hill” a black-tie benefit for the hospital. She also created the local Ambassador’s Ball to benefit cystic fibrosis and helped found a local version, in 2005, of “This Old Bag” fundraiser for the Breast Cancer Emergency Fund. Bella Farrow was born in Oakland to Vito and Josephine Abrusci in 1924. During her first marriage, to Willard Marcum, she joined her husband’s family business, the Helene Drennan Hardin Theatrical Production Agency, where she excelled as a booking agent.
In 1963 Bella married her second husband, Charles Farrow, a building contractor, who died in 1992. Farrow, a native-born San Franciscan, prominent in San Francisco cultural and charitable activities, transformed her successful entertainment acumen into philanthropy.
She traveled all over the world with Charlie and together, they raised millions of dollars for such beneficiaries as Saint Francis Hospital and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. She also chaired events for Girls Town of Italy, Meals on Wheels, the Children’s Garden of California and numerous other causes. Although no more that 5 feet tall, Bella Farrow was a force of nature in her fundraising efforts for many good causes. In August 2010, John Caito, a kind, generous, “prince of gent” passed away.
John had twice been president of the S.F. UNICO chapter and my “marito” and I both agreed that an oppor- tunity to meet fine people like John and his wife Mabel was one of the biggest benefits that occurred from joining UNICO. Every year, John Caito would not only donate the crab for the Club benefit, but he would personally go in the kitchen and make it Crab Feed ready too. John was born in S.F. to Antone “Tony” and Antonette Tarantino Caito in 1927. He will be missed by his wife of 59 years, Mable Caito, sons Joe, Jim and John and daughter Jeanette, along with their wives and nine grandchildren.
John enlisted in the US Navy in 1944. After serving in the Navy, John joined his father at Noyo River Fish Company in Fort Bragg, CA. Working closely with his father for ten years, John and his family opened Del Monte Fishing Company in Richmond, CA, which was the last commercial whaling Station in the United States. With the success of the whaling business John and his family then opened and operated Pacific Rendering Company along with the Martinelli family. During that time, John was Secretary/ Treasurer of Western California Fish Company with his father and uncles.
In 1975, John and his three sons opened Caito Fisheries, Inc. at the same location as Noyo River Fish Company. Later in life, he worked with Modesto Tallow Company. John was past President of Pacific Coast Renderers Association and co-founder of West Coast Seafood Processors Association. John’s greatest joy was being with all his family. He loved to organize and select menus for the many social events. He also enjoyed fishing and hunting with family and friends. John was a member of the American Legion for 60 years, past President Twin Cities Little League and Unico San Francisco.
Also in August 2010 we lost Lawrence Bertolucci, born in 1924 and once owner of the famed South San Francisco Restaurant, Bertolucci’s which he operated with his sister, Lola Bertolucci Fox. Larry’s father and mother oper- ated Joe’s Blue Room in South San Francisco in 1928, a family Italian restaurant who not only fed but boarded the local workers of the day. Larry trained as a carpenter and wanted to be a contractor, but was lured into the family business by his father.
In 1962, the restaurant was built on the site of Joe’s Blue Room and the name changed to Bertolucci’s Restaurant, where Larry and sister Lola ran the business until retirement and eventual sale in 2005. The restaurant was a favorite spot for local sports figures, celebrities and dignitaries passing through, as well as many regular customers. In September, Ario Gregori passed away.
Anybody who has been involved with the I.C.F. in North California for a few years probably met and enjoyed any contact they had with Ario Gregori, a man with a big heart and generous spirit who was passionate about everything he did, and he loved his family above all else. He leaves behind his wife of 51 years Rosemarie, two children Mark and Janet, their families and two grandsons.
Our Earth is poorer for these Italo-Americans leaving it and all Heaven richer.
