Rita Terenzi was born April 4, 1921 on a 160-acre farm in Washington, DC, as Rita Viola (pronounced Vee-ola) Pasqua Liccini. Rita's life on the farm was hard work. Her parents, Luigi and Anna Liccini, were immigrants from Italy. When Luigi arrived at Ellis Island, he was sponsored by Tullio Paolotti, the uncle of Rita's future husband.
Back in those days, horses still were used extensively to work the farm and for travel to the market. The farm was the "Old Bate's Mansion" which had been contributed to Catholic University, which was overseen by Washington, D.C. Bishop Thomas J. Shahan, who had asked Luigi to be the Caretaker for Catholic University, live on the farm, manage it, and to give 10% of his produce to the nearby nunnery and seminary. Bishop Shahan also founded The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC, the largest Roman Catholic church in North America, where the Liccini family's names are inscribed on a marble plaque in the lower church, as one of the original contributors.
Sometime in the mid-1930's, Enio Terenzi, nephew of Tullio Paolotti, and son of Elia and Emilia Terenzi, came to Washington, D.C. on business for his first job with the Dept of Agriculture, before his career in the Post Office. He was brought by his father, Elia, to visit the farm of his Roman childhood friend, Luigi Liccini. He did, and met his future wife, Rita.
Married on November 10, 1940, Rita moved to Brooklyn, N.Y., with Enio, her new husband. Thirteen months later in December 1941, Geraldine, the first of Rita and Enio's three children, was born. During WW II, Rita traveled with toddler Gerry, to San Angelo, TX, to be with Enio while he served his time as an airplane Bombsite and Autopilot mechanic at the Army Air Force base. Then, in 1946, Eugene was born; and, in 1950 Rickard was born. (Rickard's name often is mispronounced as Richard).
Rita had six siblings, John, Teresa, Luke, Rose, Ray, and Mary Lou. Of these, only Ray and Rose remain as living members of the family. Her sister, Rose, married Enio's brother, Egildo. Rose and Egildo also had three children who became "double cousins" to Rita & Enio's children. Coincidentally, two of Enio's brothers married two sisters from another family.
Rita enjoyed raising her three children, teaching them penmanship, helping with school work, and cooking fabulously delicious meals. She also loved taking her three children to Jones Beach. In 1951, they moved from Brooklyn to Laurelton, a small town in Queens, on the eastern edge of New York City on Long Island. Eventually the kids grew up, and Enio and Rita were very proud that each of them had completed college.
Left with an empty nest, they decided to move to St. Petersburg Beach, FL, to enjoy their retirement and the warm weather. Soon afterwards, Rita's two remaining sisters, Rose and Mary Lou, as well as two brothers, Luke and John, also moved to Florida. She loved having her siblings and nieces and nephews close by.
Determined to enjoy the fruits of their labor, Rita convinced Enio to begin traveling. In addition to visiting their kids in N.Y. and Colorado, they took wonderful trips to Italy, Israel, China, Germany, St. Maarten, and other destinations in the U.S.
In 2005, Rita lost Enio, her beloved husband of 65 years. But, in her remaining years, she still had plenty of energy and love of life to vacation in England, Tuscany, Los Cabos, Mexico; Las Vegas, Nevada, and the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania.
She leaves behind her three children (Gerry, Gene, and Rick); three grandchildren (Chris & Matt, sons of Rick and Diane; and Joe, son of Gerry); and one great-grandchild (Nathan, son of Chris and Amy).
Rita loved pizza, popcorn, and rocky road ice cream. She also loved crafts, sewing, cooking, the color violet, coin-collecting, art, drawing, and photography.
She touched many lives in her years with us. She and Enio were helpful giving people. It is probably what gave her the longevity of her 97 1/2 years that she achieved. She was able to see the results of her kindness over the years from the many people that she fed, housed and babysat. It was not just family that was helped, she even cooked for the local church, and would just take care of individual people that needed help, like her 100 year old Italian friend, Maria. Rita was indeed a wonderful, beautiful woman, inside and out.
We may have physically lost her, but the memories are ever so present, left for us to enjoy. She also has taught us to be the people that we are. A lot of her traits are not lost in us.
She will be missed greatly by all who knew her.
Back in those days, horses still were used extensively to work the farm and for travel to the market. The farm was the "Old Bate's Mansion" which had been contributed to Catholic University, which was overseen by Washington, D.C. Bishop Thomas J. Shahan, who had asked Luigi to be the Caretaker for Catholic University, live on the farm, manage it, and to give 10% of his produce to the nearby nunnery and seminary. Bishop Shahan also founded The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC, the largest Roman Catholic church in North America, where the Liccini family's names are inscribed on a marble plaque in the lower church, as one of the original contributors.
Sometime in the mid-1930's, Enio Terenzi, nephew of Tullio Paolotti, and son of Elia and Emilia Terenzi, came to Washington, D.C. on business for his first job with the Dept of Agriculture, before his career in the Post Office. He was brought by his father, Elia, to visit the farm of his Roman childhood friend, Luigi Liccini. He did, and met his future wife, Rita.
Married on November 10, 1940, Rita moved to Brooklyn, N.Y., with Enio, her new husband. Thirteen months later in December 1941, Geraldine, the first of Rita and Enio's three children, was born. During WW II, Rita traveled with toddler Gerry, to San Angelo, TX, to be with Enio while he served his time as an airplane Bombsite and Autopilot mechanic at the Army Air Force base. Then, in 1946, Eugene was born; and, in 1950 Rickard was born. (Rickard's name often is mispronounced as Richard).
Rita had six siblings, John, Teresa, Luke, Rose, Ray, and Mary Lou. Of these, only Ray and Rose remain as living members of the family. Her sister, Rose, married Enio's brother, Egildo. Rose and Egildo also had three children who became "double cousins" to Rita & Enio's children. Coincidentally, two of Enio's brothers married two sisters from another family.
Rita enjoyed raising her three children, teaching them penmanship, helping with school work, and cooking fabulously delicious meals. She also loved taking her three children to Jones Beach. In 1951, they moved from Brooklyn to Laurelton, a small town in Queens, on the eastern edge of New York City on Long Island. Eventually the kids grew up, and Enio and Rita were very proud that each of them had completed college.
Left with an empty nest, they decided to move to St. Petersburg Beach, FL, to enjoy their retirement and the warm weather. Soon afterwards, Rita's two remaining sisters, Rose and Mary Lou, as well as two brothers, Luke and John, also moved to Florida. She loved having her siblings and nieces and nephews close by.
Determined to enjoy the fruits of their labor, Rita convinced Enio to begin traveling. In addition to visiting their kids in N.Y. and Colorado, they took wonderful trips to Italy, Israel, China, Germany, St. Maarten, and other destinations in the U.S.
In 2005, Rita lost Enio, her beloved husband of 65 years. But, in her remaining years, she still had plenty of energy and love of life to vacation in England, Tuscany, Los Cabos, Mexico; Las Vegas, Nevada, and the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania.
She leaves behind her three children (Gerry, Gene, and Rick); three grandchildren (Chris & Matt, sons of Rick and Diane; and Joe, son of Gerry); and one great-grandchild (Nathan, son of Chris and Amy).
Rita loved pizza, popcorn, and rocky road ice cream. She also loved crafts, sewing, cooking, the color violet, coin-collecting, art, drawing, and photography.
She touched many lives in her years with us. She and Enio were helpful giving people. It is probably what gave her the longevity of her 97 1/2 years that she achieved. She was able to see the results of her kindness over the years from the many people that she fed, housed and babysat. It was not just family that was helped, she even cooked for the local church, and would just take care of individual people that needed help, like her 100 year old Italian friend, Maria. Rita was indeed a wonderful, beautiful woman, inside and out.
We may have physically lost her, but the memories are ever so present, left for us to enjoy. She also has taught us to be the people that we are. A lot of her traits are not lost in us.
She will be missed greatly by all who knew her.
Rita Terenzi was born April 4, 1921 on a 160-acre farm in Washington, DC, as Rita Viola (pronounced Vee-ola) Pasqua Liccini. Rita's life on the farm was hard work. Her parents, Luigi and Anna Liccini, were immigrants from Italy. When Luigi arrived at Ellis Island, he was sponsored by Tullio Paolotti, the uncle of Rita's future husband.
Back in those days, horses still were used extensively to work the farm and for travel to the market. The farm was the "Old Bate's Mansion" which had been contributed to Catholic University, which was overseen by Washington, D.C. Bishop Thomas J. Shahan, who had asked Luigi to be the Caretaker for Catholic University, live on the farm, manage it, and to give 10% of his produce to the nearby nunnery and seminary. Bishop Shahan also founded The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC, the largest Roman Catholic church in North America, where the Liccini family's names are inscribed on a marble plaque in the lower church, as one of the original contributors.
Sometime in the mid-1930's, Enio Terenzi, nephew of Tullio Paolotti, and son of Elia and Emilia Terenzi, came to Washington, D.C. on business for his first job with the Dept of Agriculture, before his career in the Post Office. He was brought by his father, Elia, to visit the farm of his Roman childhood friend, Luigi Liccini. He did, and met his future wife, Rita.
Married on November 10, 1940, Rita moved to Brooklyn, N.Y., with Enio, her new husband. Thirteen months later in December 1941, Geraldine, the first of Rita and Enio's three children, was born. During WW II, Rita traveled with toddler Gerry, to San Angelo, TX, to be with Enio while he served his time as an airplane Bombsite and Autopilot mechanic at the Army Air Force base. Then, in 1946, Eugene was born; and, in 1950 Rickard was born. (Rickard's name often is mispronounced as Richard).
Rita had six siblings, John, Teresa, Luke, Rose, Ray, and Mary Lou. Of these, only Ray and Rose remain as living members of the family. Her sister, Rose, married Enio's brother, Egildo. Rose and Egildo also had three children who became "double cousins" to Rita & Enio's children. Coincidentally, two of Enio's brothers married two sisters from another family.
Rita enjoyed raising her three children, teaching them penmanship, helping with school work, and cooking fabulously delicious meals. She also loved taking her three children to Jones Beach. In 1951, they moved from Brooklyn to Laurelton, a small town in Queens, on the eastern edge of New York City on Long Island. Eventually the kids grew up, and Enio and Rita were very proud that each of them had completed college.
Left with an empty nest, they decided to move to St. Petersburg Beach, FL, to enjoy their retirement and the warm weather. Soon afterwards, Rita's two remaining sisters, Rose and Mary Lou, as well as two brothers, Luke and John, also moved to Florida. She loved having her siblings and nieces and nephews close by.
Determined to enjoy the fruits of their labor, Rita convinced Enio to begin traveling. In addition to visiting their kids in N.Y. and Colorado, they took wonderful trips to Italy, Israel, China, Germany, St. Maarten, and other destinations in the U.S.
In 2005, Rita lost Enio, her beloved husband of 65 years. But, in her remaining years, she still had plenty of energy and love of life to vacation in England, Tuscany, Los Cabos, Mexico; Las Vegas, Nevada, and the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania.
She leaves behind her three children (Gerry, Gene, and Rick); three grandchildren (Chris & Matt, sons of Rick and Diane; and Joe, son of Gerry); and one great-grandchild (Nathan, son of Chris and Amy).
Rita loved pizza, popcorn, and rocky road ice cream. She also loved crafts, sewing, cooking, the color violet, coin-collecting, art, drawing, and photography.
She touched many lives in her years with us. She and Enio were helpful giving people. It is probably what gave her the longevity of her 97 1/2 years that she achieved. She was able to see the results of her kindness over the years from the many people that she fed, housed and babysat. It was not just family that was helped, she even cooked for the local church, and would just take care of individual people that needed help, like her 100 year old Italian friend, Maria. Rita was indeed a wonderful, beautiful woman, inside and out.
We may have physically lost her, but the memories are ever so present, left for us to enjoy. She also has taught us to be the people that we are. A lot of her traits are not lost in us.
She will be missed greatly by all who knew her.
Back in those days, horses still were used extensively to work the farm and for travel to the market. The farm was the "Old Bate's Mansion" which had been contributed to Catholic University, which was overseen by Washington, D.C. Bishop Thomas J. Shahan, who had asked Luigi to be the Caretaker for Catholic University, live on the farm, manage it, and to give 10% of his produce to the nearby nunnery and seminary. Bishop Shahan also founded The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC, the largest Roman Catholic church in North America, where the Liccini family's names are inscribed on a marble plaque in the lower church, as one of the original contributors.
Sometime in the mid-1930's, Enio Terenzi, nephew of Tullio Paolotti, and son of Elia and Emilia Terenzi, came to Washington, D.C. on business for his first job with the Dept of Agriculture, before his career in the Post Office. He was brought by his father, Elia, to visit the farm of his Roman childhood friend, Luigi Liccini. He did, and met his future wife, Rita.
Married on November 10, 1940, Rita moved to Brooklyn, N.Y., with Enio, her new husband. Thirteen months later in December 1941, Geraldine, the first of Rita and Enio's three children, was born. During WW II, Rita traveled with toddler Gerry, to San Angelo, TX, to be with Enio while he served his time as an airplane Bombsite and Autopilot mechanic at the Army Air Force base. Then, in 1946, Eugene was born; and, in 1950 Rickard was born. (Rickard's name often is mispronounced as Richard).
Rita had six siblings, John, Teresa, Luke, Rose, Ray, and Mary Lou. Of these, only Ray and Rose remain as living members of the family. Her sister, Rose, married Enio's brother, Egildo. Rose and Egildo also had three children who became "double cousins" to Rita & Enio's children. Coincidentally, two of Enio's brothers married two sisters from another family.
Rita enjoyed raising her three children, teaching them penmanship, helping with school work, and cooking fabulously delicious meals. She also loved taking her three children to Jones Beach. In 1951, they moved from Brooklyn to Laurelton, a small town in Queens, on the eastern edge of New York City on Long Island. Eventually the kids grew up, and Enio and Rita were very proud that each of them had completed college.
Left with an empty nest, they decided to move to St. Petersburg Beach, FL, to enjoy their retirement and the warm weather. Soon afterwards, Rita's two remaining sisters, Rose and Mary Lou, as well as two brothers, Luke and John, also moved to Florida. She loved having her siblings and nieces and nephews close by.
Determined to enjoy the fruits of their labor, Rita convinced Enio to begin traveling. In addition to visiting their kids in N.Y. and Colorado, they took wonderful trips to Italy, Israel, China, Germany, St. Maarten, and other destinations in the U.S.
In 2005, Rita lost Enio, her beloved husband of 65 years. But, in her remaining years, she still had plenty of energy and love of life to vacation in England, Tuscany, Los Cabos, Mexico; Las Vegas, Nevada, and the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania.
She leaves behind her three children (Gerry, Gene, and Rick); three grandchildren (Chris & Matt, sons of Rick and Diane; and Joe, son of Gerry); and one great-grandchild (Nathan, son of Chris and Amy).
Rita loved pizza, popcorn, and rocky road ice cream. She also loved crafts, sewing, cooking, the color violet, coin-collecting, art, drawing, and photography.
She touched many lives in her years with us. She and Enio were helpful giving people. It is probably what gave her the longevity of her 97 1/2 years that she achieved. She was able to see the results of her kindness over the years from the many people that she fed, housed and babysat. It was not just family that was helped, she even cooked for the local church, and would just take care of individual people that needed help, like her 100 year old Italian friend, Maria. Rita was indeed a wonderful, beautiful woman, inside and out.
We may have physically lost her, but the memories are ever so present, left for us to enjoy. She also has taught us to be the people that we are. A lot of her traits are not lost in us.
She will be missed greatly by all who knew her.
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