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Beloved Matriarch Mary Ferrante, 105

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Little Gram's obituary

Mary (Taormina) Ferrante, a beloved matriarch whose perseverance, piety, generosity and sheer goodness inspired all who met her, died on Monday, July 14, at the home of her granddaughter, surrounded by her family. She was 105.

Maria Concetta Ferrante was born on December 8, 1902, the feast of the Immaculate Conception, in Sicily, the fifth of six children of Francesco and Giuseppa Taormina. The family lived in Sicily until she was seven years old, when they sailed from Palermo to Ellis Island, New York.

The Taormina’s settled in Youngstown, OH, where Mary enjoyed an idyllic childhood. At her brother Andrew’s wedding in Philadelphia, 16 year-old Mary traded youthful bliss for joy of another kind when she met a handsome soldier named Frank Ferrante – the bride’s brother. Soon, the bride’s brother and the groom’s sister became husband and wife themselves. Their first child, Angelina Nora (Angie), was born in 1920, followed quickly by Josephine Ann (Jo Ann); Rose, who tragically only lived 2 years; James William (Jimmy) who passed away in 2007; and her fifth child, Frank Joseph, born when Mary was just 23 years old.

Frank, Sr., was an underemployed carpenter; so Mary found work as a seamstress, sometimes holding two jobs. It wasn’t until their four surviving children had grown up and moved out that they bought a bungalow in Pennsauken, and began fixing up their dream home. But their empty-nest happiness was short-lived. In 1946, Frank died of a broken neck after a fall, leaving Mary a widow at 44. Left with almost no money, Mary went to work again, this time in the alteration departments of Philadelphia clothing stores. Later, she found work closer to home at Strawbridge and Clothier in Cherry Hill and continued to work until she finally retired at age 80. By then, she had moved from Pennsauken to Sicklerville, where she lived by herself, proudly making and washing her clothes, cooking, baking homemade bread and cleaning, until she was well past 100.

In addition to her indefatigable work ethic, Mary was known for her deep faith in God and in the Catholic Church. Until she was no longer physically able, she attended Mass regularly but was neither maudlin nor zealous in her beliefs. She simply believed.

Mary Ferrante is survived by three of her five children: Angelina Lorren, Jo Ann Endner, and Frank Ferrante, six of her eight grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren, and 23 great-great-grandchildren. She will be greatly missed.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend her viewing Thursday eve 7:00 – 9:00pm at the Egizi Funeral Home, 119 Ganttown Rd., Washington Twp. Funeral Mass Friday 10:00am at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 642 Market Street, Camden. Interment Holy Cross Cemetery, Yeadon, PA.

Mary's 8th Grade Graduation Class.
Mary is sitting next to the teacher on the left.

Brother Andrew's wedding.
Mary is sitting next to the bride.
Her husband to be is standing her.

Mary with her husband Frank.

Mama with her four children - Angie, Jo Ann, Frankie, and Jimmy.

Grandma with five of her grandchildren,
Claudia, Pauline, Stanley, Johnny, and baby Janis.

Little Gram with one of her 22 great-grandchildren, Leah.

View / Print Frank and Mary's decedent chart - La Familiga Ferrante
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Rest in Peace Little Gram

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My Last Conversation with Little Gram

Little Gram died today. A few days ago she fell and broke her hip. We all agreed that surgery was out of the question so she left the hospital and went to my mother's home to die. Today, while sleeping and resting comfortably, she simply stopped breathing. She was surrounded by her daughters and my mother and some of her other grand children. In what may be the first of a many posts about a remarkable woman I'd like to share a story about my last conversation with Little Gram.

The last time I spent any real time with Little Gram was two weeks ago. My boys and I went to my mother's home for lunch. As soon as we arrived I made my way out to the deck to sit with Little Gram and Big Gram.

Whenever I saw Little she'd always ask about Lisa and my family. Then she'd ask about my job and what I did for a living. I told her about my recent trips to India and Seattle and she asked about how I liked to travel.

After talking about the ups and downs of business travel I told Little about some recent family tree research I uncovered. I told her that I discovered that at one time she and her family lived in New York City. She immediately recalled that her older brother Felix was living with a friend named Lawrence Maletta and his wealthy family. This family lived in Brooklyn and "their house was beautiful." Even more impressive was the fact that this house had indoor bathrooms. Little Gram told us that this was the first time she ever saw a toilet in a home. The year was 1909 and Little Gram was 7.

I asked what led to her arrival to the States. Little told us about her father, Francesco (Frank). I learned her father was a tree surgeon in Sicily and that he worked for a Prince. Frank took care of all the trees in the olive grove. The prince became ill and died and Little's father took care of a lot of the estate chores for the Princess including cooking. She said that many of the recipes handed down over the years were learned during the time her father worked for the princess. Now, the princess was a gambler and one day she lost the estate and Little's father was out of a job. It was soon after this that Little and her father made their way to the United States to meet up with her older brothers Felix and Andrew.

It was at this time that we went into the kitchen to have lunch. On the menu that lovely Sunday was one of my all time favorite Little Gram meals - potatoes and eggs. When I was in college I had a few semesters when I would visit Little Gram in between classes. She'd always make me potatoes and eggs. It's a simple dish - potatoes and eggs fried together with olive oil. Just typing about it is making my mouth water. I'm so glad that my last meal with Little was this dish.

When it was time to go I noticed that Little asked my mother to fetch her purse. Little pulled out some money and handed Michael and Joey $5 each. "Go and buy yourselves a funny book." With that I thanked her and gave her a big hug and told her I loved her. She kissed me and said I love you too.

That was my last conversation with Little Gram.

1967 - Celebrating birthdays 65 and 2.

1989 - Celebrating birthdays 87 and 24.

2005 - Celebrating birthdays 103 and 40 and Joey's birth.
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Deaths Out of Left Field

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I didn't even know he was sick

I added "Meet the Press" moderator Tim Russert's name to a mental list I've been keeping for a while now. The list contains names of famous people who died unexpectedly and made you say, "wow I never expected (insert deceased name here) to die." But, as with most of my lists, I do have rules. Celebrities over a certain age are not eligible (ie Bob Hope , George Burns, etc.). Presidents, world leaders, and politicians are off the list for obvious reasons. Cancer victims and celebrities who contract AIDS or other diseases are also off the list. The announcement of the illness may be unexpected but by the time the death comes we're prepared. Finally, the entire Kennedy family is ineligible. That family is cursed and unexpected Kennedy death is a expected.

So here's the list starting with the most recent unexpected death and then grouped according to cause of death. Please feel free to comment.

  • Tim Russert (heart attack)
  • Robert Palmer (heart attack)
  • Richie Ashburn (heart attack)
  • Elvis Presley (heart attack)
  • Jim Fixx (heart attack)
  • Elvis Presley (heart attack)
  • Jerome Brown (car accident)
  • Pele Limburgh (car accident)
  • Jessica Savage (car accident)
  • Princess Grace Kelly (car accident)
  • Princess Diana (car accident)
  • Jayne Mansfield (car accident)
  • James Dean (car accident)
  • Patsy Cline (plane crash)
  • Jim Croce (plane crash)
  • Ricky Nelson (plane crash)
  • Roberto Clemente (plane crash)
  • Payne Stewart (plane crash)
  • Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, Big Bopper (plane crash)
  • Lynyrd Skynyrd band members (plane crash)
  • Aaliyah (or is it Ashante?) (plane crash)
  • Rocky Marciano (plane crash)
  • John Denver (plane crash)
  • Stevie Ray Vaughn (helicopter crash)
  • Bill Graham (helicopter crash)
  • River Phoenix (drug overdose)
  • Heath Ledger (drug overdose)
  • Marilyn Monroe (drug overdose)
  • John Belushi (drug overdose)
  • Chris Farley (drug overdose)
  • Michael Jackson  (drug overdose, June 25, 2009)
  • Tim Buckley (drug overdose)
  • Jeff Buckley (drowning)
  • Natalie Wood (drowing)
  • John Marzono (fall)
  • Ahmet Ertegün (fall)
  • Dr. Robert Atkins (fall)
  • Phil Hartman (murdered)
  • John Lennon (murdered)
  • Lee Harvey Oswald (murdered)
  • Selena (murdered)
  • Jim O'Brien (skydiving accident)
  • Reggie White (cardiac and pulmonary sarcidosis)
  • Sonny Bono (skiing accident)
  • John Ritter (aortic dissection)
  • Steve Irwin (stingray barb)
  • Jim Hensen (streptococcus pneumonia)
  • Duane Allman (motorcycle accident)
  • Berry Oakley (motorcycle accident)
  • Bruce Lee (brain aneurism)
  • Brandon Lee (misfired prop gun)
  • Freddie Prinze (suicide)
  • Nick Drake (suicide)
  • Budd Dwyer (suicide - shot himself in the mouth with a revolver on TV)
  • Mama Cass Elliott (cardiac arrest)
  • Johnny Ace (accidental self inflicted gun wound to the head)
  • Terry Kath (accidental self inflicted gun wound to the head)
  • Keith Relf (electrocution)
  • Jimi Heselden, owner of the Segway (fell off a cliff while on a Segway)

This list represents unexpected deaths that you knew were eventually going to happen:

  • Kurt Cobain
  • Anna Nicole Smith
  • Janis Joplin
  • Jim Morrison
  • Keith Moon
  • Dennis Wilson
  • Brian Jones
  • Jimi Hendrix
  • Sid Vicious
  • (reserved for Amy Winehouse)