Madison- Vincenza Martinelli died at peace Saturday, September 29, at Agrace Hospice Care, less than one week after breaking her hip at the age of 95. “Vi” was born on April 14, 1923 in the Greenbush area of Madison to Antonio and Providenza Raimondo, the oldest of five siblings. She attended Longfellow School, then Central High School.
After courageously traveling alone across the country on a train full of soldiers, she married Victor Martinelli in Las Vegas, New Mexico, where he was stationed before leaving to take part in WWII. Back home, she worked as a telephone operator until Vic returned. After a short stint on Proudfit Street and a first child, the young couple moved to the West Side, to Tokay Street, then two blocks away, to Travis Terrace and a larger home for their now five children, where they resided for over 60 years until moving to Oak Park Assisted Living, then on to Noel Manor Assisted Living and Memory Care.
Our mother found being a mother, wife and housekeeper her calling. She was a “domestic goddess,” who prepared fantastic meals nightly, kept the house spotless, sewed outfits for the three oldest girls, crocheted, knitted, and took part in ladies’ card clubs with her sister and cousins, the Foresters at Queen of Peace and with her couples group. As the kids got older, Mom developed more of her own interests as well.
She took a job at Manchester’s Department Store in Women’s Apparel. Later, she started taking tap dancing and doing Aqua Aerobics. She and Dad took several winter trips to Florida, Arizona, Texas and their beloved Puerto Vallarta.
In addition, they took a significant trip to Italy/Sicily and many European capitols with two of their daughters and a son-in-law, enjoyed a Caribbean cruise with another daughter and her husband and were treated by the kids to a trip to the Hawaiian Islands. Our mother also loved taking care of her grandkids whenever she had the chance. (Lucky them and us!
) We kids and Dad loved to tease Mom about: her saying, “Oh… I can do it better myself! ? ” getting silly after ½ glass of wine, calling us every name but the correct one, including the poodle’s name (Georgie Girl), throwing her high heels at us when we were too fast to spank, and running to get Dad something when he jokingly called, “Florence, will you get me….
? ” “Vi” was kind, generous, caring, energetic and funny all the days of her life. All who knew her will miss her deeply because we loved her so immensely.
That includes, of course, her daughters and son and their significant others: Jean Martinelli (G. Linn Roth), Carol Reuter (Dale), Sandy Martinelli (Dave Jenneke), Gary Martinelli (Gina), Mary Jo Winner (Harold Robinson) and the grandkids and great grandkids: Michelle Danielson, Erin Hudgens (Lance) Tony Martinelli (Emily), Jacob Reuter (Megan Hagstrom), Coleman Winner, Carly Winner, Nicholas Jenneke and Ryan, Alex and Colin Hudgens. She will also be very much missed by her one remaining sibling, Teresa Brausen, who visited “Vi” every day when she was in Memory Care, and her other many other remaining relatives and friends.
Our consolation remains that she is now dancing again with the love of her life, our cherished Father, who preceded her in death in March of this year. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m., on Friday, October 19, 2018 at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church, 401 S. Owen Drive, with Msgr. Kenneth Fiedler officiating.
Visitation will be held from 9:30 a.m. until the time of Mass. All are invited to a luncheon afterwards. In lieu of flowers, bequests can be made to either Queen of Peace Endowment Fund or the “Care for All’ campaign at Agrace Hospice Care.
To view and sign this guestbook, please visit: www. ryanfuneralservice.com.
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