Remembering Nonno

 

Words of Remembrance about Nonno that I shared at his funeral…

Good Morning. I am going to do very, very best, just as Nonno always did.

I’ve always looked up to Nonno. Nonno taught me a lot growing up. I was 15 years old and it was time to learn to drive. Who better to teach me than Nonno. He always followed the rules and did things slowly and carefully paying attention to every detail. When I did something well he praised me and when I made a mistake he was gentle in telling me what I did wrong. If I made the same mistake twice he was stern. Disappointing Nonno was something I never wanted to do. I struggled with chemistry in high school. Who better to learn science from than a nuclear physicist who listened to lectures given by Albert Einstein. There was one problem he LOVED chemistry and I did not. There we sat at Nonno and Nonna's dining room table, Nonno trying to show me how to solve equations. My goal to was to complete the assignment quickly. His goal was to have me understand every detail. Together we worked very slowly and very carefully on chemistry homework. For a high school student this time was torture. Looking back he was teaching me so much more than solving a chemistry equation. I made it through that chemistry class. It was time to head to college. When I left for college Nonno gave me a box titled, “Nonno’s success guide for college”. It was binders and explanations of how to organize all my notes, paper, pencils and some tips. There was one tip that I carried with me through each college exam and also shared frequently with others. It always made me chuckle. Nonno’s tip was simple, “All tests are easy when you know the answers.” Nonno always had all the answers.

Nonno loved each of his 9 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren dearly. I asked each of them to share with me life lessons they learned from Nonno. Ask questions, serve others, eat ice cream every night, be patient and appreciate the present, work hard, be dedicated, always wave goodbye, be punctual, tell stories, speak gently, keep your answers simple, read widely, be proud of your past, recognize the good others. Nonno was loved.

During this difficult last week we have found peace in the words of my sweet 4 year old daughter, Abby. She spends time helping her Daddy who is a veterinarian care for sick animals. Through the work with her dad she has experienced life and death. When we told her that her Bis Nonno had died, she innocently responded, "Well, Nonno was old, and he loved goats, and he loved horses. So he'll have fun up there."

We hope you are having fun Nonno. We are sure going to miss you.

Happy 90th Birthday to Nonno …..

Yes, I am sad.  But I will cherish all the memories I have of Nonno. 

XO