Adele C. Porcella, 88, died peacefully at her daughter’s home in Palo Alto on June 23, 2019 surrounded by family. She had been in declining health for the last several years of her life and finally succumbed to heart disease.
Adele, known as, Addi, was a 62 year resident of Palo Alto. She was born, on July 5, 1930 in Genoa, Italy at her family home and was the third of nine children. In Italy she studied accounting but had a passion for medicine. She began to study nursing but was called to work in the business, founded by her family and a partner, and was working there when her older brother’s former tutor returned to Genoa from America to ask for her hand in marriage.
She married Rinaldo Porcella on May 18, 1957 in Genoa, and then moved with her husband to Palo Alto, California where Rinaldo worked as a librarian at Stanford University.
Initially, Addi stayed home with her four children and in the evenings would walk to Palo Alto High School Adult School to learn English. She was an outstanding cook, baking bread, making fresh pasta (homemade ravioli!!!), canning homemade sauces, jams, and much more. She would sew clothes for her children, curtains, drapes and slip covers all while taking classes at Adult School. As her children grew older and started elementary school, she attended classes at Foothill College, earning her AA and successfully completing a three year Radiology program to become an X-ray technologist. She then worked for twenty-two years at the Mountain View Medical Clinic. Addi and her husband were long time parishioners of Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish.
Addi enjoyed traveling, politics, cooking shows, mystery dramas, old movies, and especially cooking for her family. Family was important and she enjoyed seeing her grandchildren grow up. Addi spearheaded many family trips to different parts of California and beyond. She thought it was important to expose her children to new places and experiences, including a long drive to the World’s Fair in Spokane, Washington, and driving to Yellowstone National Park. She was a political junkie and stayed interested and informed about national and global politics until the end of her life.
She was preceded in death by Rinaldo, her husband of 36 years, and her older sister and two brothers. She is survived by three sisters and two brothers, as well as numerous nieces, and nephews and cousins in Italy. She is survived by her four children: Francesco, John, Clara, Caterina; her daughters-in-law: Becky and Ann; her sons-in-law: Jack and Finbarr; and her six grandchildren: Derek, Audrey, Evan, Matthew, Nicholas, Kevin and future granddaughter-in-law, Hollie (Evan).
Source: Crippen & Flynn Chapels
Adele, known as, Addi, was a 62 year resident of Palo Alto. She was born, on July 5, 1930 in Genoa, Italy at her family home and was the third of nine children. In Italy she studied accounting but had a passion for medicine. She began to study nursing but was called to work in the business, founded by her family and a partner, and was working there when her older brother’s former tutor returned to Genoa from America to ask for her hand in marriage.
She married Rinaldo Porcella on May 18, 1957 in Genoa, and then moved with her husband to Palo Alto, California where Rinaldo worked as a librarian at Stanford University.
Initially, Addi stayed home with her four children and in the evenings would walk to Palo Alto High School Adult School to learn English. She was an outstanding cook, baking bread, making fresh pasta (homemade ravioli!!!), canning homemade sauces, jams, and much more. She would sew clothes for her children, curtains, drapes and slip covers all while taking classes at Adult School. As her children grew older and started elementary school, she attended classes at Foothill College, earning her AA and successfully completing a three year Radiology program to become an X-ray technologist. She then worked for twenty-two years at the Mountain View Medical Clinic. Addi and her husband were long time parishioners of Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish.
Addi enjoyed traveling, politics, cooking shows, mystery dramas, old movies, and especially cooking for her family. Family was important and she enjoyed seeing her grandchildren grow up. Addi spearheaded many family trips to different parts of California and beyond. She thought it was important to expose her children to new places and experiences, including a long drive to the World’s Fair in Spokane, Washington, and driving to Yellowstone National Park. She was a political junkie and stayed interested and informed about national and global politics until the end of her life.
She was preceded in death by Rinaldo, her husband of 36 years, and her older sister and two brothers. She is survived by three sisters and two brothers, as well as numerous nieces, and nephews and cousins in Italy. She is survived by her four children: Francesco, John, Clara, Caterina; her daughters-in-law: Becky and Ann; her sons-in-law: Jack and Finbarr; and her six grandchildren: Derek, Audrey, Evan, Matthew, Nicholas, Kevin and future granddaughter-in-law, Hollie (Evan).
Source: Crippen & Flynn Chapels
Adele C. Porcella, 88, died peacefully at her daughter’s home in Palo Alto on June 23, 2019 surrounded by family. She had been in declining health for the last several years of her life and finally succumbed to heart disease.
Adele, known as, Addi, was a 62 year resident of Palo Alto. She was born, on July 5, 1930 in Genoa, Italy at her family home and was the third of nine children. In Italy she studied accounting but had a passion for medicine. She began to study nursing but was called to work in the business, founded by her family and a partner, and was working there when her older brother’s former tutor returned to Genoa from America to ask for her hand in marriage.
She married Rinaldo Porcella on May 18, 1957 in Genoa, and then moved with her husband to Palo Alto, California where Rinaldo worked as a librarian at Stanford University.
Initially, Addi stayed home with her four children and in the evenings would walk to Palo Alto High School Adult School to learn English. She was an outstanding cook, baking bread, making fresh pasta (homemade ravioli!!!), canning homemade sauces, jams, and much more. She would sew clothes for her children, curtains, drapes and slip covers all while taking classes at Adult School. As her children grew older and started elementary school, she attended classes at Foothill College, earning her AA and successfully completing a three year Radiology program to become an X-ray technologist. She then worked for twenty-two years at the Mountain View Medical Clinic. Addi and her husband were long time parishioners of Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish.
Addi enjoyed traveling, politics, cooking shows, mystery dramas, old movies, and especially cooking for her family. Family was important and she enjoyed seeing her grandchildren grow up. Addi spearheaded many family trips to different parts of California and beyond. She thought it was important to expose her children to new places and experiences, including a long drive to the World’s Fair in Spokane, Washington, and driving to Yellowstone National Park. She was a political junkie and stayed interested and informed about national and global politics until the end of her life.
She was preceded in death by Rinaldo, her husband of 36 years, and her older sister and two brothers. She is survived by three sisters and two brothers, as well as numerous nieces, and nephews and cousins in Italy. She is survived by her four children: Francesco, John, Clara, Caterina; her daughters-in-law: Becky and Ann; her sons-in-law: Jack and Finbarr; and her six grandchildren: Derek, Audrey, Evan, Matthew, Nicholas, Kevin and future granddaughter-in-law, Hollie (Evan).
Source: Crippen & Flynn Chapels
Adele, known as, Addi, was a 62 year resident of Palo Alto. She was born, on July 5, 1930 in Genoa, Italy at her family home and was the third of nine children. In Italy she studied accounting but had a passion for medicine. She began to study nursing but was called to work in the business, founded by her family and a partner, and was working there when her older brother’s former tutor returned to Genoa from America to ask for her hand in marriage.
She married Rinaldo Porcella on May 18, 1957 in Genoa, and then moved with her husband to Palo Alto, California where Rinaldo worked as a librarian at Stanford University.
Initially, Addi stayed home with her four children and in the evenings would walk to Palo Alto High School Adult School to learn English. She was an outstanding cook, baking bread, making fresh pasta (homemade ravioli!!!), canning homemade sauces, jams, and much more. She would sew clothes for her children, curtains, drapes and slip covers all while taking classes at Adult School. As her children grew older and started elementary school, she attended classes at Foothill College, earning her AA and successfully completing a three year Radiology program to become an X-ray technologist. She then worked for twenty-two years at the Mountain View Medical Clinic. Addi and her husband were long time parishioners of Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish.
Addi enjoyed traveling, politics, cooking shows, mystery dramas, old movies, and especially cooking for her family. Family was important and she enjoyed seeing her grandchildren grow up. Addi spearheaded many family trips to different parts of California and beyond. She thought it was important to expose her children to new places and experiences, including a long drive to the World’s Fair in Spokane, Washington, and driving to Yellowstone National Park. She was a political junkie and stayed interested and informed about national and global politics until the end of her life.
She was preceded in death by Rinaldo, her husband of 36 years, and her older sister and two brothers. She is survived by three sisters and two brothers, as well as numerous nieces, and nephews and cousins in Italy. She is survived by her four children: Francesco, John, Clara, Caterina; her daughters-in-law: Becky and Ann; her sons-in-law: Jack and Finbarr; and her six grandchildren: Derek, Audrey, Evan, Matthew, Nicholas, Kevin and future granddaughter-in-law, Hollie (Evan).
Source: Crippen & Flynn Chapels
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
