Modesto lost a prominent florist with the death of Bella Flora co-owner Sandra Lee Ciccarelli. She was 50.
Mrs. Ciccarelli and her son, Thomas Ciccarelli Jr., opened the flower shop on J Street in 1996.
They designed Bella Flora as a European-style flower shop and cultivated a reputation for floral arrangements that emphasized greenery as well as blooms.
"Both of my parents' families are of European descent, so the flower shop had that look," said Diolinda Peterson, Mrs. Ciccarelli's 28-year-old daughter. "It had a garden look to it, with fresh-cut flowers brought in weekly."
Mrs. Ciccarelli and her son opened the flower shop after her recovery from cancer in 1995.
"She opened the flower shop as a tribute and celebration of her life," said Peterson, the oldest of Mrs. Ciccarelli's four children. "She survived cancer and wanted to start something new.
The cancer returned recently, however, and Mrs. Ciccarelli became ill a month ago.
"The flower shop was a great opportunity for our family to stay close together," Peterson said. "All of the children worked there when we had time. Even (7-year-old) Christian, the youngest, would blow up balloons while we all worked on the the flowers. It gave us a lot of time together."
Among the memories Peterson, her siblings and her father, Thomas Ciccarelli, will have are Mrs. Ciccarelli's distinct laugh and her love of movies.
"I remember when I was young, if I got lost in a restaurant, I could listen for my mom's laugh and follow it to our table," Peterson said. "She was a movie fanatic. She loved to watch them and then talk about them."
Mrs. Ciccarelli was a native and lifelong resident of Modesto. She was a member of St. Stanislaus Catholic Church, Sisters of The Cross Auxiliary, Catholic Social Service Guild and Modesto Portuguese Pentecost Association and Sociedade Portuguesa Rainha Santa Isabel.
In addition to her husband, son Thomas Jr. and daughter Diolinda, she is survived by her children Anthony T. Ciccarelli and Christian T. Ciccarelli, both of Modesto; father, William Ansel Byrd of Modesto; brothers, Garry Alan Byrd and Timothy Alan Byrd, both of Modesto, and Larry Alan Byrd of Waterford; and three grandchildren.
The Rosary and service was at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church.
Mrs. Ciccarelli and her son, Thomas Ciccarelli Jr., opened the flower shop on J Street in 1996.
They designed Bella Flora as a European-style flower shop and cultivated a reputation for floral arrangements that emphasized greenery as well as blooms.
"Both of my parents' families are of European descent, so the flower shop had that look," said Diolinda Peterson, Mrs. Ciccarelli's 28-year-old daughter. "It had a garden look to it, with fresh-cut flowers brought in weekly."
Mrs. Ciccarelli and her son opened the flower shop after her recovery from cancer in 1995.
"She opened the flower shop as a tribute and celebration of her life," said Peterson, the oldest of Mrs. Ciccarelli's four children. "She survived cancer and wanted to start something new.
The cancer returned recently, however, and Mrs. Ciccarelli became ill a month ago.
"The flower shop was a great opportunity for our family to stay close together," Peterson said. "All of the children worked there when we had time. Even (7-year-old) Christian, the youngest, would blow up balloons while we all worked on the the flowers. It gave us a lot of time together."
Among the memories Peterson, her siblings and her father, Thomas Ciccarelli, will have are Mrs. Ciccarelli's distinct laugh and her love of movies.
"I remember when I was young, if I got lost in a restaurant, I could listen for my mom's laugh and follow it to our table," Peterson said. "She was a movie fanatic. She loved to watch them and then talk about them."
Mrs. Ciccarelli was a native and lifelong resident of Modesto. She was a member of St. Stanislaus Catholic Church, Sisters of The Cross Auxiliary, Catholic Social Service Guild and Modesto Portuguese Pentecost Association and Sociedade Portuguesa Rainha Santa Isabel.
In addition to her husband, son Thomas Jr. and daughter Diolinda, she is survived by her children Anthony T. Ciccarelli and Christian T. Ciccarelli, both of Modesto; father, William Ansel Byrd of Modesto; brothers, Garry Alan Byrd and Timothy Alan Byrd, both of Modesto, and Larry Alan Byrd of Waterford; and three grandchildren.
The Rosary and service was at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church.
Modesto lost a prominent florist with the death of Bella Flora co-owner Sandra Lee Ciccarelli. She was 50.
Mrs. Ciccarelli and her son, Thomas Ciccarelli Jr., opened the flower shop on J Street in 1996.
They designed Bella Flora as a European-style flower shop and cultivated a reputation for floral arrangements that emphasized greenery as well as blooms.
"Both of my parents' families are of European descent, so the flower shop had that look," said Diolinda Peterson, Mrs. Ciccarelli's 28-year-old daughter. "It had a garden look to it, with fresh-cut flowers brought in weekly."
Mrs. Ciccarelli and her son opened the flower shop after her recovery from cancer in 1995.
"She opened the flower shop as a tribute and celebration of her life," said Peterson, the oldest of Mrs. Ciccarelli's four children. "She survived cancer and wanted to start something new.
The cancer returned recently, however, and Mrs. Ciccarelli became ill a month ago.
"The flower shop was a great opportunity for our family to stay close together," Peterson said. "All of the children worked there when we had time. Even (7-year-old) Christian, the youngest, would blow up balloons while we all worked on the the flowers. It gave us a lot of time together."
Among the memories Peterson, her siblings and her father, Thomas Ciccarelli, will have are Mrs. Ciccarelli's distinct laugh and her love of movies.
"I remember when I was young, if I got lost in a restaurant, I could listen for my mom's laugh and follow it to our table," Peterson said. "She was a movie fanatic. She loved to watch them and then talk about them."
Mrs. Ciccarelli was a native and lifelong resident of Modesto. She was a member of St. Stanislaus Catholic Church, Sisters of The Cross Auxiliary, Catholic Social Service Guild and Modesto Portuguese Pentecost Association and Sociedade Portuguesa Rainha Santa Isabel.
In addition to her husband, son Thomas Jr. and daughter Diolinda, she is survived by her children Anthony T. Ciccarelli and Christian T. Ciccarelli, both of Modesto; father, William Ansel Byrd of Modesto; brothers, Garry Alan Byrd and Timothy Alan Byrd, both of Modesto, and Larry Alan Byrd of Waterford; and three grandchildren.
The Rosary and service was at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church.
Mrs. Ciccarelli and her son, Thomas Ciccarelli Jr., opened the flower shop on J Street in 1996.
They designed Bella Flora as a European-style flower shop and cultivated a reputation for floral arrangements that emphasized greenery as well as blooms.
"Both of my parents' families are of European descent, so the flower shop had that look," said Diolinda Peterson, Mrs. Ciccarelli's 28-year-old daughter. "It had a garden look to it, with fresh-cut flowers brought in weekly."
Mrs. Ciccarelli and her son opened the flower shop after her recovery from cancer in 1995.
"She opened the flower shop as a tribute and celebration of her life," said Peterson, the oldest of Mrs. Ciccarelli's four children. "She survived cancer and wanted to start something new.
The cancer returned recently, however, and Mrs. Ciccarelli became ill a month ago.
"The flower shop was a great opportunity for our family to stay close together," Peterson said. "All of the children worked there when we had time. Even (7-year-old) Christian, the youngest, would blow up balloons while we all worked on the the flowers. It gave us a lot of time together."
Among the memories Peterson, her siblings and her father, Thomas Ciccarelli, will have are Mrs. Ciccarelli's distinct laugh and her love of movies.
"I remember when I was young, if I got lost in a restaurant, I could listen for my mom's laugh and follow it to our table," Peterson said. "She was a movie fanatic. She loved to watch them and then talk about them."
Mrs. Ciccarelli was a native and lifelong resident of Modesto. She was a member of St. Stanislaus Catholic Church, Sisters of The Cross Auxiliary, Catholic Social Service Guild and Modesto Portuguese Pentecost Association and Sociedade Portuguesa Rainha Santa Isabel.
In addition to her husband, son Thomas Jr. and daughter Diolinda, she is survived by her children Anthony T. Ciccarelli and Christian T. Ciccarelli, both of Modesto; father, William Ansel Byrd of Modesto; brothers, Garry Alan Byrd and Timothy Alan Byrd, both of Modesto, and Larry Alan Byrd of Waterford; and three grandchildren.
The Rosary and service was at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church.
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See more Ciccarelli or Byrd memorials in:
- Saint Stanislaus Catholic Cemetery Ciccarelli or Byrd
- Modesto Ciccarelli or Byrd
- Stanislaus County Ciccarelli or Byrd
- California Ciccarelli or Byrd
- USA Ciccarelli or Byrd
- Find a Grave Ciccarelli or Byrd
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