This Post was written by Ann Marie Giudicessi to honor the day....
Today marks a lot of big things in my family’s history and frankly is a great excuse to pull out these photos.
On this day 110 years ago my Great Grandma, Grazia (Grace) Scarcello arrived in Boston, Massachusetts. She couldn’t read or write, she didn’t speak English, and she was 23 years old. She came with her father, Mauro (Michael) and her sister, Rose, On December 11th of that same year she married Francesco Giudicessi. It wasn’t until March of 1922 that her mother, Magnifica, and sisters, Rachel and Catherine would arrive in the US. You can see her in the first two photos with my Dad and my uncle. Yes, my Dad is sitting on the dining room table. He was a cute kid.
Seventy-two years ago today, Grace’s youngest child, Anthony, married Dorothy Staley in a ceremony at St. Anthony’s Church on Des Moines’s south side. The same church where she was married. They went on to have two children, Richard and Michael, and four grandchildren, Anthony II, John, Elizabeth, and Ann Marie. Anyone who knew my Grandparents knew just how in love with each other they were. Happy 72nd Anniversary, Grandma and Grandpa!
This day does also mark a tragic one in the course of my family’s history . It was on this day in 1940 that Ann Marie Giudicessi, oldest daughter of Grace and Frank passed away. My grandfather was only 16 and had just graduated from high school when his sister died. Ann Marie did not have children of her own but her legacy lives on in a niece and great niece who were named in her honor. Sharing a name with her is one of the things I love most and I am grateful that my parents chose to give me a name with such deep meaning to my family.
Without the moments that happened on this day in 1910 and 1948, I would not be me. So today I celebrate and honor the moments that put in motion my existence and made me who I am.
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