75th Birthday - Ann's Speech

WELCOME SPEECH GIVEN BY ANN DEVENEZIA ON OCTOBER 5, 1980

On behalf of my brothers and sisters; John, Tony, Carmela and Philomena, I, Ann, the youngest, welcome you to our mother's 75th birthday party.

We are happy that you, her relatives and friends, who mean so much to her, can be here.

I thought you'd like to hear a little of Mary's history on this joyful occasion.

Seventy-five years ago, on October 9, 1905, a girl named Mary was born to Carmela and Frank Zaccagnio of Madison, N.J. She grew up on North Street with many cousins and good friends. Mary's mother had been the widow of Frank Varro, with five children; Frank. Sardi, Louise, Mike and Cora. They were soon joined by her two brothers Tony and Nick.

I've heard stories of Mary and how she played with dolls, made mud pies, helped her mother and went to school.

For Mary, school was fun and interesting. She had completed her sophomore year at Madison High School when she was told by her parents that it was necessary for her to get a job. She worked at pressing clothes with her good friend, Louise Lupardi, a name that was to become familiar to her and us.

Louise's mother and father; Philomena and John Lupardi, had come to America soon after their friends, Carmela and Frank Zaccaganio, in the early 1900's. The two women, who used the same kitchen during that year, had no idea what destiny had in store for their (unborn) children.

The Lupardi's had six children; Rose, Antoinette, Tony, Peter (who died as a child), Louise and Anna. Philomena's husband John died of a heart attack when he was forty-two. Philomena, a mid-wife, kept her family together and Tony, nine years old, went to work in a peach orchard. He worked hard and by the time he was twenty he was working as a rose grower at Totty's Greenhouses in Florham Park. He was strong, he was dark, he was handsome, and he owned a Model-T Ford. He drove his sister Louise and her girlfriend Mary, home from their work. Mary was pretty, fair, cheerful and smart. She was sweet, smiling and liked to sing. "You are My Sunshine" became their song.

After a courtship with chaperones, stolen kisses, movies and ice cream for the folks, Mary and Tony were married on October 31, 1925, in St. Vincent's Church. The reception was held at James Hall, where they had danced together at other weddings. They rode through the streets and threw rose petals, pennies, and candies to the clamoring children, for good luck.

The groom drew plans, poured concrete, and expanded his house on East Street. Here, they conceived their first child, John, who was born in August of 1926. Mary worked hard cleaning, cooking and caring for her husband and baby. Tony was promoted to foreman at Totty's, so they moved to Fborham Park.

By 1934, Mary and Tony had their five children. Mary did not enjoy good health, but she continued to work, pray and sing. She joined the P.T.A., was class mother, ran spaghetti dinners, sewed costumes, and entertained friends and relatives.

There were morning glories, bird baths, vegetable gardens, and chickens, turkeys, and rabbits. Also, outings to the beach, picnics, rides to Dover and Madison.

Money was tight, but Mary and Tony managed carefully and saved. In 1947, they went into the rose business in Closter, Bergen County. John, Tony and Carmela had graduated from high school.

Everyone worked together, and, as the years went by, the business prospered. We children chose our careers and our spouses and began to raise our families with twenty-three grandchildren for Nana and Pop-Pop to "spoil."

On May 26, 1974, my father died suddenly, leaving his wife of 48 years with a void in her life that no one else can fill.

Mary always had many duties and never seemed to grow older. She preached and practiced two things - Patience and Courage.

On her birthday, Mom always said that she was Sweet Sixteen, just as she seems today.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY !