Livia (Bruno) Minor

Livia was born in 1922 in the city of Andria in the Puglia region of Southern Italy. The very earliest years of her life seemed to be happy as she had the love of both her parents and her grandparents, as the first grandchild in the family. She said she would go to eat dinner at her grandparents if she did not like what her mother had prepared for dinner.

All that changed after her mother passed away when Livia was 7 years old. Her life became very difficult when her father remarried shortly after her mother passed. The relationship between Livia and her stepmother was very contentious and painful. After several years of this, Livia went to live in an orphanage where she would remain until she was 17 years old. Although life was hard in the orphanage, she did pick up life skills that would allow her to earn money and live on her own. Once she left the orphanage she moved back home with her father and stepmother. The situation did not improve upon her return. Livia finally decided to leave the home and made the decision to move to Naples. Money earned from her embroidery work allowed her to buy clothing and a ticket to Naples.

Livia lived and worked in Naples for 5 years before she met Cruz Minor. He was a serviceman in the US Army, stationed in Naples during World War II. She and Cruz were married in Italy. She eventually moved to the United States, traveling with 4500 other war brides on the ship Vulcania in 1946. The shipped landed in New York City and some of the war brides boarded a train heading west, with a destination of California.

When the train arrived in Oakland, Livia transferred to another train in San Francisco to reach Santa Clara. At the train station in Santa Clara, she was greeted by Cruz and several members of his family, including his brothers and several nieces and nephews. Our Uncle Pete was the first one to see her. He pointed her out as she stepped off the train. You couldn’t miss her. She was clearly the City Girl.That evening Cruz took Livia to a dance because they both really enjoyed live music and he knew how much she loved to dance. Back then there were often Latin orchestras on tour and Cruz and Livia went to dances as often as they could. Every time there was a family celebration Cruz and Livia could be seen enjoying the festivities and dancing the night away.

After living in a cosmopolitan city like Naples, adjusting to a farming community like Santa Clara in the mid 1940s, was a bit difficult for her. She had expected her life in California would be living in a city like San Francisco. A defective water heater caused a fire that destroyed Cruz and Livia’s home and all their belongings. In addition, Cruz’s tools for his auto mechanic business were stolen a few days later. The couple had to start over with basically nothing.

Cruz and Livia continued with their life after these setbacks. They had 5 children and in addition to raising the children, Livia picked up sewing skills and earned a living as a seamstress. She made numerous wedding and bridal party dresses, as well as red velvet capes for queens of the Mexican Independence Day parades in San Jose in the 1960s. And she made all her daughters’ special occasion dresses, including dresses for their proms and weddings.

During her career as a seamstress, she made an estimated 500 dresses ranging from simple sheaths to evening wear. Livia also picked up men’s tailoring skills when the family briefly lived in Roswell, New Mexico. She ended up making men’s 3-piece suits in additional to all the dresses. Livia spoke 3 languages (Italian, Spanish, and English) 2 of which she had to learn on her own after arriving in Santa Clara.

Livia had a great love of gardening and in her prime tended over 100 plants in her garden. Her love of flowers knew no bounds and every year she would buy new plants and tend to her existing plants with loving care. She had an incredible green thumb. She often took a ‘cutting’ from some else’s beautiful plant, nurtured it until it rooted, then planted it to grow into her own beautiful plant. She did this quite often, and was very proud of this skill, as she was of the house she called her home for close to 60 years.

She also loved to knit, crochet, and embroider. She knit numerous sweaters, dresses, and two-piece outfits. Her house was filled with doilies that she had crocheted.

Her other love was cooking and baking. She had the skills of a Chef when it came to tasty food. She learned how to cook Mexican food, as that is what her husband, Cruz, wanted, and it was what his family was used to. Her signature dish, as many people know, was Rigatoni al Forno. Every Christmas she’d bake Rigatoni as the main dish. But she also baked it for parties held at the Minor home. People would often ask if she was making it when they accepted invitations to parties. It was a favorite of the extended Minor family. She was also famous for the variety of cookies and other goodies she baked at Christmas time. She always made plates for friends and family and gave her cookies away. To this day, we still make the cookies. Her Biscotti are to die for.

Livia had 9 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren, whom she loved dearly. She enjoyed spending time with them, celebrating birthdays and other milestones, and attending their high school graduations and college graduations. She also attended their weddings; it brought her so much joy. The babies were always so special to her.

Livia enjoyed going to San Francisco for lunch or shopping or both. With its Italian flair, it was her favorite big city.

She kept strong ties with her cousins in Italy and visited them several times along with her children and grandchildren. She also hosted her cousins when they came to California. She was overjoyed to have them stay with her and share her home.

And her extended family here in the States became an integral part of her life. She would always be sure to go to any celebrations, weddings, baby showers, baptisms, wedding showers, birthdays, graduations which she was invited to. These celebrations were very important to her.

After her husband Cruz passed, she lived alone in her home. She periodically had housemates, but eventually realized she really wanted

to live alone. That way she could do whatever she wanted. And she did. Her home was her way of expressing who she was. It was decorated exactly as she wanted. And it was always spotless.

In her later years she began to let go of some of her earlier ‘ways.’ She relaxed more, laughed more, and loved freely.

Livia Bruno Minor was a fighter – resilient, stubborn – a survivor. Whatever her setbacks and crises, she fought for every moment of her life – even to the very end. And she triumphed. She lived to be 101 years old. A lesson for us all.

A visitation for Livia will be held Friday, November 24, 2023 from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Lima Family Santa Clara Mortuary, 466 North Winchester Blvd, Santa Clara, CA 95050. A rosary service will occur Friday, November 24, 2023 from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM, 466 North Winchester Blvd, Santa Clara, CA 95050. A committal service will occur Saturday, November 25, 2023 from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM at Santa Clara Mission Cemetery, 490 Lincoln St, Santa Clara, CA 95050. A funeral service will occur Saturday, November 25, 2023 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at St Cyprian Church, 195 Leota Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA 94086.