Obituary of Domenica Farinola Romeo

Pia Romeo, born in 1927 to loving parents Mamie and Rocco Farinola in Brooklyn, NY was the eldest of five children. She loved growing up and sharing memories with her siblings Vito, Theresa, Elaine and Sandy as well as her fifty five first cousins. As a child, she was given the nickname Pearl due to the fact that the family lived on Pearl Court. She would keep the nickname throughout the entirety of her adult life. True to her loving nature, Pia made sure to write letters and send packages to all of her family and friends serving in World War II. Also, she always made sure to remember everyone's birthday by sending a personally written card sharing her warm wishes and best regards. Pia met a charming young Nino Romeo in 1947 and in 1950 they were married. Together, they successfully ran a dental laboratory business while raising their five children, Gino, Cecilia, Gerard, Pia and Elena. In 1970, Pia achieved her American dream of custom designing a beautiful country house in Oneonta, NY. Although she always stayed true to her Brooklyn roots, Pia loved that home, and even decades later still spoke fondly of the great memories that she had built with her family in Oneonta. The family later relocated to Florida. As the family grew with the addition of son and daughter in-laws, Pia came to be regarded as the matriarch of the family who could provide tenderness, guidance and wisdom for the next generations. In time, the family would add nine grandchildren and four great grandchildren who all loved her dearly and will forever cherish Pia's beautiful spirit. Pia was an accomplished professional in a time when opportunities were few for women. From the time that she was a teenager until adulthood, Pia worked tirelessly to provide for her family. Her essence of style initially came from her creative instincts and was expressed during her time at Bloomingdale's. Even in retirement, when she found out that her grandchildren were attending daycare nearby, she obtained a certification in childcare. Not only did that allow her to care for her own grandchildren, it also fed into her passion of providing care for children that required special attention. She loved watching classic movies and musicals; her favorite happened to be Showboat that featured her favorite song "Only Make Believe". Pia's interests included sewing, bingo, piano, and ceramics. She was a proud member of the Lady's Club, Focus Country Center, Hollywood Arts and Cultural Center, and was a board member of various Italian civic organizations from New York and Florida. In her final moments with us, Pia was surrounded by her children, grandchildren, and other close family members, who were all witness to a peaceful crossing filled with love, song, and prayer. Pia Romeo, having come from a humble birth in Brooklyn, NY will forever live in our hearts. We will always remember her sweet voice, contagious smile, incredible cooking, enthralling stories of an era long past and wisdom. We will all tell the story of this great woman for generations to come.