George C. Donzella

George C. Donzella, Sr., 85, longtime resident of Broward County, died peacefully on October 19, 2014.

Born on April 30, 1929 in Sleepy Hollow, NY, he was the youngest of five children born to Sicilian immigrants Carmelo and Concetta (Burrafato) Donzella. He graduated from North Tarrytown High School in 1947, then served in the Army from 1951-53. He graduated from Bryant College in Rhode Island in 1957.

George was a real estate developer, an American patriot who loved his country, and he treasured spending time with his family.

He is survived by his children: Elizabeth Donzella, George C. Donzella, Jr. and Suzanne Donzella-Falkenstrom, all of Broward; son-in-law David M. Falkenstrom and his beloved granddaughter Anna Grace Falkenstrom. Also his former wife, Anne Hynes Donzella of Oakland Park and brother John (Lena) Donzella of Villa Rica, GA. He was predeceased by his daughter Denise Donzella in 2006 and his three sisters.

Visitation will be on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2014 from 4:00 to 8:00 pm (Service at 7:00 pm) at Kraeer-Becker Funeral Home, 217 E. Hillsboro Blvd., Deerfield Beach FL 33441. (954) 427-5544.

LIFE STORY

The Way We Were

(Songwriters: Alan Bergman / Marilyn Bergman / Marvin Hamlisch, The Way We Were lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC)

Memories light the corners of my mind,

Misty water-colored memories of the way we were.

Scattered pictures of the smiles we left behind,

Smiles we gave to one another for the way we were......

Can it be that it was all so simple then,

Or has time rewritten every line

If we had the chance to do it all again,

Tell me, would we? Could we?

Memories may be beautiful and yet

What's too painful to remember

We simply choose to forget.

So it's the laughter we will remember,

Whenever we remember

The way we were, The way we were.

George C. Donzella, father of four and grandfather of one, was indeed a unique and special individual, one whom most people remembered well after even just one introduction. He was blessed with intelligence, wit, charm and self-confidence, not to mention his good looks. These gifts would take him far from his origins to heights his ancestors could never have imagined.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

Love and Memories Flourish During a Time of Poverty and War

George C. Donzella was born on April 30, 1929, in North Tarrytown (later Sleepy Hollow), New York, in the county of Westchester. His parents were immigrants from Ragusa, Sicily. Both had been widowed from prior spouses due to the worldwide influenza epidemic of 1918-19. His father, Carmelo Giovanni Donzella (1880-1966), was one of five children born to Emanuela (Muccio) and Giovanni Donzella. They had 12 children total, some of whom did not survive to adulthood. Carmelo's eldest brother in the United States, Giuseppe, was the first to travel to America, followed by Salvatore, Carmelo in 1907, Francesco and a sister Ursula Maria, who would later marry Philip Battaglia. Carmelo and his first wife, Josephine Bella, had two children, John (Giovanni) and Emanuela "Big Nellie" (1911-1990). Both Carmelo's son and first wife died from influenza in 1918.

George's mother was Concetta Maria Burrafato, daughter of Emanuela (Fatuzza) and Giorgio Burrafato. Her first husband was Giorgio Chiavola, with whom she had two daughters: Angela (1914-2008) and Emanuela "Little Nellie" (1915-1992). Both girls were born in Chicago, IL. Upon Giorgio's death in 1918, Concetta's brother "Pepe" moved her and her children to North Tarrytown, where she met his friend, Carmelo Donzella. They were married on August 17, 1919. Their two sons were John Donzella (1924 - 2020) and George.

As the baby of the family, little Georgie was spoiled rotten by his mother and sisters. In later years, he loved to tell his boyhood stories to his own children. He often mentioned what good, strong people of character his parents were. "Mama" could make a meal out of anything, he claimed, and "Pop" was always gentle, patient and kind. Indeed, Carmelo was well known in North Tarrytown for his loving and caring ways. Concetta and Carmelo worked diligently to provide for five children during the Depression, thus instilling a strong work ethic in each of them.

Religious faith was extremely important in his home as well: George served as an altar boy at Immaculate Conception church for many years. Each Christmas Eve, known to Italians as the "Night of the Seven Fishes," the women spent hours cooking fish and other delights, while the men attended Midnight Mass.

George spoke often and with great affection about his childhood in North Tarrytown. "We were so poor, but we never knew it, because everyone else was in the same boat," he would often reminisce. Indeed, his family lived on the top floor of a three-story walk-up with only one bathroom for the entire floor! His mother Concetta worked as a seamstress during the day, then walked to the market every evening to shop for dinner. (There were no refrigerators in those days.) Then, carrying bags of groceries, she would hike up three flights of stairs and cook dinner for her family of seven! In the early years of her marriage, Concetta washed clothes on a washboard until the family "went modern" and acquired a clothes wringer.

Meanwhile, Carmelo worked for many years at General Motors in Tarrytown. He had previously owned a grocery store for a few years before the Depression forced him to close down. Legend had it that a man from the local "Black Hand" once tried to extort money from Carmelo, but a neighbor woman beat off the thug with her pocketbook.....These are only a few of the memories our dad shared with us kids, giving us a strong appreciation of family, friendships and memories that last a lifetime.

The World War II era was, according to George, "a tough time to grow up, but a very good time, because all Americans were united." In Tarrytown, almost every household had a husband, son or brother fighting in the war. Whenever someone lost a relative in battle, a Gold Star was hung in that family's window. George's own brother John served in the south Pacific, where he contracted malaria and almost died. His two brothers-in-law, Nick DeSoto and Joe Gurrieri, served as well. Nick, in fact, received the Purple Heart medal for a wound received in the Philippines. Nick's brother, Victor De Soto, served for 52 months at Maxwell AFB in Alabama.

George loved to tell the story of the day the mailman came to the family's apartment on Valley Street, calling out to Concetta that he had a letter for her from Johnny. Well, Concetta was so excited that she ran from the third floor and fell down the stairs face-forward, causing her head to crash right through the wall and bleed profusely. "She didn't care; she was just so happy to hear from Johnny," George recalled.

Before graduating from North Tarrytown High in 1947, George got into his share of mischief. He and his buddies once tied a rope across two poles on opposite sides of Beekman Avenue, so that oncoming cars would hit it. The police chased him and his friends through the Van Tassel apartments before taking them to jail and calling their respective fathers. Later, as a high school student, George and friends would pile into a car; the driver would hide under the wheel, so that passersby would think the car was driving itself!

TIME IN NEW ENGLAND: THE TRANSITION TO MANHOOD

The Army, College, Marriage and Suburbia

George served in the Army from March 1951 to March 1953, stationed in Andover, Massachusetts during the Korean War. He was first a private, then corporal. In December 1954, he married Anne Elizabeth Hynes of Yonkers. They moved to Providence, Rhode Island so he could earn his bachelor's degree from Bryant College in two and half years while Anne worked as a bank teller. He graduated in August 1957 and the young couple returned to North Tarrytown. His first job was as a claims adjuster with Traveler's Insurance, but in 1962 he accepted a better position with the Stanley J. Harte Corp. to support his growing family. Sadly, George and Anne's first baby, a son, had died in 1955 following a premature birth, but daughter Elizabeth arrived in 1959, followed by Denise in 1960, and George Jr. in 1962. Baby Suzanne would complete the family in 1965.

By now, Carmelo and Concetta Donzella had a total of 11 grandchildren. We all lived in North Tarrytown and gathered frequently at holidays and for other occasions. Aunt Angie and Uncle Nick's home at 127 Depeyster Street became the family "headquarters" for our reunions.

George and Anne purchased their first house in 1963 and moved their brood across the Hudson River to a tiny hamlet in Rockland County called Valley Cottage. Their neighborhood, Applewood Manor, was brand new in 1963; indeed, none of the new homeowners had grass in the beginning! The next six years were very busy indeed, as Anne handled four small kids by herself, while George drove an hour to and from Williamsburg, Brooklyn each day for work. These were very difficult and stressful times; still, many happy memories were made here. Although George had a very demanding job as sales manager for the Lindsay Park Housing Project in Brooklyn, he loved being a dad more than anything. In Tarrytown, he would get down on all fours and crawl around the living room with toddlers Denise and Elizabeth on his back. In Valley Cottage, he would play catch with all his children in the huge back yard while mom made dinner.

Summers in Valley Cottage were great! Each 4th of July, the neighbors would gather for a huge barbecue. Dad and the other men grilled burgers and hot dogs and the moms brought side dishes while all the kids ran around and frolicked. Everyone flew his American flag, and at night we'd catch fireflies and watch the fireworks.

Christmastime, however, provided some of the most cherished memories for George's children. We would nag Dad for a solid week to buy the tree, and then have a fantastic time decorating it. Each Christmas Eve we would leave Oreos and milk for Santa, then awaken our folks at the crack of dawn. Dad would crouch in front of the tree and hand out each present. He was the king, after all. Indeed, we often teased him about that. In response to an arrogant comment, we'd say, "Dad, who do you think you are, God?" He huffily responded: "Well, the initials are almost the same." He meant it.

THE MOVE TO FLORIDA

New York Winters Give Way to Sunshine, Beaches and Professional Opportunities

In July of 1969, George moved his family to the "promised land," Fort Lauderdale, which was said to be a real estate developer's dream come true. He became project director for Whitehall, an oceanfront condominium in Boca Raton built by Arthur Radice & Co. After a few years, though, he decided to form his own company with his business partner, David Blanchard. Thus, Florida Southern Industries was born in 1973 followed by Gibraltar Title Co. Their first project was Hillsboro Landings, a large condominium located at 1631 Riverview Road in Deerfield Beach. Among its first residents were his sister and brother-in-law Nellie and Joe Gurrieri, who had moved to South Florida in 1966. This project was followed by Cypress Bend in Pompano Beach, and several other projects in Palm Beach County during the 1980s.

We kids got a big kick out of Dad's well-known impatience on the road, and with "stupid people" in general. Whenever the family was out driving back in the 70s, it was common to see older men wearing a hat while driving their car painfully slowly. Dad would yell, "Go!" and then rant about the driver's hat. "Now, why would anyone wear a hat in a car?" he would fume. Certain local figures and politicians would get his goat as well, with their "ultra liberal" views. We could always count on hearing, "God, that annoys me! That really annoys me."

George's knack for laughing off money matters, bill collectors in particular, was legendary. When one such man berated him over a $10,000 debt and threatened to sue, George replied, "My friend, I laugh in your face! I'm being sued for ten million dollars!" "You are not!" snapped the angry bill collector. "Yes, I am," George replied. However, when he was truly angry, you knew it. Indeed, whenever George began a conversation with "Listen here, my friend", that meant he was definitely not pleased with that individual, as his son George Jr. can attest to.

In his later years, George spent some time living in Europe. He fell in love with London, where he spent most of his time. He even saw Princess Diana and other members of the royal family from less than ten feet away. He also lived in Hannover, Germany, for a time and visited Belgium, Luxembourg and Trieste, Italy. He became friends with Howard Ward, Steve Kraft and Arnold Gendelman.

THE JOURNEY WINDS DOWN

Facing Extreme Illness With Courage and Grace

Toward the end of his life, Dad's number one love was his only grandchild, Anna Grace, born in December 2005 to his youngest daughter Suzanne and husband David Falkenstrom. He would light up like a Christmas tree whenever she was around. Anna's birth would prove to be a great comfort to the whole family six months later, when her Aunt Denise passed away. Anna's boundless energy and quick intelligence were a continuing source of delight to her Pop-Pop, whose most frequent remark about her was, "She's something else, that kid!"

Vivacious little Anna was Dad's primary incentive for fighting back when his health began a serious decline in 2007. For the next seven years, he would endure more than a dozen illnesses and surgeries, including the amputation of both lower legs, congestive heart failure, prostate cancer and much more. His family and friends were continually amazed by Dad's relentlessly positive attitude, his unwavering humor and strength. We celebrated birthdays and holidays at the nursing home/rehab facility where Dad spent 18 months. Four-year-old Anna Grace had the best time, pushing her Pop-Pop up and down the hallways in his wheelchair and riding in it herself.

When Dad finally came home in 2009, he amazed us all again by insisting on being as independent as possible. Sitting in his wheelchair, he would cook for himself and family members on a weekly basis. Not only that, Dad would wheel himself over to his ex-wife Anne's apartment in Royal Park, or down to the pool where Anna and her friends were swimming. At family gatherings, he was his usual witty self. He simply refused to be a victim!

George was especially blessed to have Suzanne and Dave Falkenstrom as his daughter and son-in-law. Suzanne handled all his bills, insurance matters and doctor visits. Dave visited his father-in-law twice a week in the nursing home, shaving him and providing much-needed companionship. Brother John Donzella phoned faithfully every week from Georgia to check on his baby brother, and they had dozens of lengthy chats about "the old days." His loving and loyal home health aides, Marie and Zena, were instrumental in keeping Dad's spirits up with their kindness and devotion.

Sadly, though, Dad's health continued to deteriorate. In the next five years, there were numerous hospital stays and more surgeries for a myriad of health problems. But he refused to give up. He would dream about Denise sometimes, or he'd hear a voice saying, "Dad, Dad," and he'd respond, "Not yet, Denise." Only one week before his death, he kept saying that he was "not ready to go". Finally, however, a scan showed that Dad's prostate cancer from ten years prior had spread to his liver. His time had finally run out. He accepted the news with grace, shaking Dr. Arison's hand and thanking him for all the exceptional care he'd received.

On Sunday, October 19, 2014, in the wee hours of the morning,George passed away peacefully at John Knox Village Hospice in Pompano Beach. Right up to the end, his mental clarity and humor were present in full force. He had told George Jr. to "Pray for my soul, and pray that the Republicans win the Senate!" To Elizabeth, he said, wagging his finger, "Forget the past. Move on, continue to grow. I'll be watching." He held Suzanne's hand and said, "You are the love of my life." Besides his remaining children, several nieces and his nephew were there to say good-bye. For that we are forever grateful, as was Dad.

George Donzella is also survived by his ex-wife, Anne Hynes Donzella; his brother John and sister-in-law Lena Donzella of Villa Rica, GA; three nephews and four nieces. He was preceded in death by his daughter Denise Donzella, his parents, three sisters and their husbands: Angela DeSoto (Nick); Nellie Gurierri (Joseph); and Nellie Volturara (Ubaldo). Also his nephew-in-law, Robert S. Baker.

We are also grateful to the many relatives and friends who turned out for Dad's service at Kraeer-Becker Funeral Home in Deerfield Beach on Thursday, October 23rd, and the burial at South Florida National Cemetery in Lake Worth, Florida. It was a fitting tribute to this man who so loved his family and his country. We love you, Dad! Give a hug to Denise from all of us.

UPDATE: As of August 2023, we have lost several more family members. Here's to George Donzella Jr., Anne Hynes Donzella, John and Lena Donzella, Nikki Baker Miciotta, Victor Volturara and Devoe Bassford. That's seven people in as many years. Cherish your loved ones while they are here.

God bless,

Elizabeth A. Donzella

* * * * * * * * * *

A Testimony to Italian Resiliency

by Beverly De Soto

PANDEMIC SURVIVORS

So, this is how Italians survive deadly viruses.

Imagine you're the lady on the left (referring to a photo of Carmelo, Concetta and their children). You're a Sicilian immigrant with a husband and two little girls -- and it's 1918, and your husband collapses and dies of the Spanish flu.

You're alone in Chicago. There's no such thing as welfare, or social benefits. If you cannot provide for your kids, must you put them in an orphanage?

What do you do?

Well, you contact your family and they get busy. They find another Sicilian immigrant from Ragusa: Carmelo Donzella. His own wife and son have just died, also from the Spanish flu, leaving him alone with his daughter.

But, he's in Tarrytown, New York -- 1,000 miles away.

Letters are exchanged. Train tickets are bought. You and your little girls take a long train ride to New York City, and when you step onto the platform, a handsome man from your long ago home is standing there to greet you.

The priest books a date for your wedding. And five years later you pose for a picture with your daughters and new baby son.

Fast forward to 1966. I am nine years old, wearing a black dress of unaccustomed formality. I am gazing at my first dead person. It's Mr. Donzella, age 85, with his big white mustache and his hands folded over a rosary intertwined in his fingers. There's nothing at all creepy about seeing him lying down in a room I had often seen him sitting up in, smoking his big cigars after Sunday dinner.

He is laid out in the living room of my Aunt Angie -- the little girl on the far right of this picture.

Fast forward 50 years, and tonight I am sleeping in a bed in Angie's daughter's house -- my cousin Diane Bassford. And we have just had a raucous dinner with family, including Diane Longobardi Baker and the eldest daughter of another baby boy yet to be born to them -- Elizabeth Donzella.

God provides.