by Cookie Curci

Through the years, I've discovered bits and pieces of the past that when put all together, make up my extraordinary grandmother Maria Carmela Curci-Dinapoli. I knew that she came to this country as a young immigrant from Italy and married my grandfather Antonio Curci in 1910.

A few years later, she was widowed with three children. I had heard family stories of how Grandma had struggled to find work, to pay her debts and to keep her family together during those difficult years. In all of these stories, one fact remained prominent- Grandma's deep religious devotion guided her through each problem and task. It was that same devotion that gave her strength to complete the long journey from an orphanage in Tricarico, Italy to the shores of New York harbor, through the interrogation process at Ellis Island and on to California. It was with that same devotion and unwavering belief that she raised her family and built a new life for herself in America. It's what sustained her all those years.

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Source: http://newsblaze.com/