Serafina Facelli's Obituary
Serafina Dale Zenola Facelli was 5th of 6 children born to Pietro and Serafina Zenola on August 10, 1921. She died of Multiple Myeloma (bone marrow cancer) on March 3, 2010 at 3:42 PM. She was preceded in death by her husband of 49 years, Peter J. Facelli. Serafina’s parents were farmers. The children picked, cleaned and bundled the vegetables which their father sold from his truck at market. Raising corn, potatoes, tomatoes, and turnip greens prepared Serafina to win blue ribbons at State Fair for her tomatoes and string beans. After completing White Station High School, Serafina took her first job as a bookkeeper. After the war, longtime friends, the Facelli family, came to visit in the Zenola home. Young Pete Facelli had just returned from four years active duty in World War II with General Patton’s Army. After their initial meeting, Pete called and asked to visit Serafina. Their first parental approved date was to Rainbow Lake to go roller skating. Although jobs were hard to find during the Depression, Pete hired on with the railroad as a switchman. Upon accumulating enough money, he proposed to Serafina, to their parents’ delight. Mr. Zenola said, “Well, it sure is about time”. They married on September 28, 1948. In 1951, Mary Anne was born, followed by Margaret in 1953 and Joseph in 1955. The two daughters both became Registered Nurses and Joseph became an Electrical Engineer. After Pete retired from the railroad, the couple took annual trips with the Second Armored Reunion each year, visiting many states and foreign lands including Africa, Russia and Europe in which the event was hosted. When not cooking, dancing, making ceramics, being a Girl Scout Leader, running church coffee, donuts or yard sales, Serafina enjoyed the Memphis Bocce Club and UNICO. Following in her mother’s legacy, Serafina was elected President of the “Ladies Italian-American Civic League” for several terms. During her tenure, the women published a cookbook. After Serafina was photographed and interviewed for her Italian gnocchi’s in the Memphis newspaper, the cookbooks sold out. She enjoyed her grandchildren and their families. Michael and Tiffany Cox, Andrew Cox and Sarah and Alex Culbertson plus her great grands, Gray Hockman and Frankie, Jade and Andrew Cox. Serafina passed gently to the Lord, but not before her presence was shared with so many wonderful caregivers at Fox Ridge Assisted Living and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences – Myeloma Institute plus Dr. Morgan Sauer, Mary Brown and staff at Hospice Home Care of Arkansas. To each of her caregivers the family expresses their sincere and long lasting thanks. A special thanks to Ray Fizer, Margaret’s husband, for his care and attention as he attended to Serafina during treatments.Serafina brightened everyone’s day with her loving spirit and endearing chuckles. She was a role model of spiritual, emotional, and physical strength. We were so blessed to have her in our lives. Visitation will be Thursday, March 11 from 5 pm to 7 pm with rosary at 7 pm at Memorial Park Funeral Home, 5668 Poplar Avenue in Memphis. On March 12, the Mass will be at 10 am at St. Francis of Assisi Church at 8151 Chimney Rock Blvd. Cordova, TN. A separate memorial will be held in North Little Rock at a future date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Myeloma Institute for Research and Therapy – Patient Support Fund; 4301 W. Markham St; # 816; Little Rock, AR 72205 or the charity of your choice. Written by Ann-Marie LeBlanc of Fox Ridge Assisted Living with additions from Serafina’s children.
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