Eva DeGrazio
Eva passed away on Thursday April 28, 2016. She was born on October 23, 1922 to Dominick and Jessie Nettles Bruno. She attended Rome Free Academy and Udells Business School.
On June 2, 1945 she married Joseph DeGrazio and was fortunate to enjoy over 66 years of a blessed marriage until his death on January 5, 2012.
While attending Rome Free Academy, Eva worked weekends at Walgreens Drug Store and later at Nelson’s Department Store. Nelson’s often asked her to model clothes for them during their fashion shows at the Capital Theater. She also worked as a bookkeeper at the Union Fork and Hoe. In 1955, she became employed at Griffiss Air Force base where she worked as a secretary for twenty-five years. During that time she received numerous awards for outstanding service.
Eva’s mother passed away when Eva was ten years old, leaving Eva, her sister, Frances (12 years old), her oldest brother Gordon (13 years old), Dominick (8 years old), and Lawrence(18 months). Eva and Frances took care of the family until Frances and Gordon each married. When Eva decided to get married, her husband Joe moved into a ready-made family of Eva, Dominick, Lawrence, and their father, Dominick, Sr.
In 1950, Joe and Eva and her father moved into Joe’s mother’s house where Joe had been raised. The upstairs rooms were converted into their apartment. Eva’s two younger brothers had married by then. By that time, Joe’s father had passed on and Joe’s mother needed help with the house. Joe helped with the planting of the garden, maintaining the coal furnace and more.
Eva and Joe had no children of their own, but were very involved in helping to raise and look after all of her nieces and nephews and even a great niece and nephew. In fact, Eva and Joe helped most of them go through college.
Once Eva’s sister Frances’ sons went off to college,they started their adult lives and moved out of town, Frances developed Alzheimer’s disease. During the period when Frances was able to live at home, Eva and Joe cared for her and helped maintain her house. When she was transferred to a nursing home, Eva’s role as caregiver continued with Joe’s strong support. For a number of years until Frances passed in 2005, Eva visited Frances at the nursing home every single day of the year. Also in 2005, Eva and Joe’s dear nephew bill DeSantis was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. Eva did what she could to assist him and his son, Will, during that difficult time.
Eva had many interests and hobbies. She and her sister used to sew, knit and crochet. She knit many afghans, coats, blankets, sweaters, etc. Eva was an excellent cook and was known for her delicious jumbo raviolis and tasty pizzelles.
Joe and Eva loved to entertain people and were the perfect hosts. They were also excellent dancers who particularly enjoyed dancing to the Big Band Orchestra music. They were able to attend performances by many of the finest dance orchestras of their time. Eva and Joe loved to travel and were able to visit Joe’s relatives in Italy numerous times for unforgettable vacations.
Eva was a lifetime member of St. John the Baptist Church and sang in their choir for many years. She had a lovely voice and at a young age sang with her sister, Frances, on various radio programs.
Eva was known to everyone as being an intelligent, considerate, caring, generous and gracious person who had a great sense of humor. She will be dearly missed.
Funeral services will be celebrated on Monday morning, May 9, 2016 at 11:00 in St. John the Baptist Church for a Mass of Christian Burial with the Rev. Abraham Esper as celebrant; where relatives and friends are invited to attend. Interment will be in St. John's Cemetery.
There will be no calling hours.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the Bottini Funeral Home, 120 W. Embargo St.
