Obituary of Marta Maria Capozziello

My mother, Marta, was born in Trieste, Italy on a hot summer day in 1932. She lived a simple life in a busy seaport town. Her father, a truck driver, transported beer to Vienna and her mom was a nurse in a psychiatric hospital. The war that would start in Italy while she was still a child would remain etched in her mind. These memories would be rehashed at dinners, while we were making pasta and while were out in the garden planting. She was only 11 when she couldn’t continue her education but instead go to work at odd jobs to help her family. It was a fortunate and poetic event 6 years later she would be socializing with friends that a handsome stranger would join the tight knit group. Italy was still struggling from the aftermath of the second world war. The friends had but an apple to share amongst themselves and my mother turned to the handsome stranger to offer a bite of that simple snack. That stranger was my Dad. He was 5 years her senior and enrolled in the prestigious naval academy. He promised her a beautiful life with marriage and children. They were the epitome of the beautiful couple. While they were honeymooning in Austria, they were mistaken for movie stars. My mother enjoyed the attention, she had a modeling stint when she was in her twenties and loved the camera ! My dad was more the introvert and intellectual. Together they built a successful life in a foreign land and had three children. On Sunday “Pranzos” were the best. We would sit-down to eat at 2 pm but not finish until 6 or 7pm. Not only would we eat but we would talk, discuss topics of interest, and play cards. As you can imagine, my mother was an awesome cook. She taught us how to make a good gravy, meatballs and every Italian dish you could imagine. She loved her garden. My brother, Teddy, and I would scour the nurseries come April to begin planning our vegetable garden. “Fresh vegetables were the best” and we had tomatoes, eggplant, peppers and zucchini. My mother also had a passion for fashion. She had worked as a seamstress and sewed wedding dresses when she was in Italy. She would on a whim sew a new fashion for my sister, Marina and me. My mother had a penchant for the finer things in life. She enjoyed Opera, classical music, Van Gogh, Broadway shows and her glass of wine with dinner. She enjoyed parties and the beach. She enjoyed a good laugh and her family time. I know we will all miss her greatly, but I will always have wonderful memories of her in my heart.