Luigi and Maria (Rossi)

Luigi was the second child of Marino and Marianna (Pazzini).  He was born on September 14, 1890 in Verucchio, Forlì.

Little is known about his early life except that which appears in his brother Giuseppe's (Pino) written memoirs.  In 1908, at the age of 18, he did not follow his family when they moved from Verucchio to Montefiore, but instead went to live in Rimini, where he was working. He was trained as a veterinarian.

While living in Rimini, he met and married Maria Rossi.  They had four children:  Emilio, Angela (who died at age 43 in 1956), Eugenio (known as Eugene or Gino) and Paolo.

Emilio, born in 1912, is the first of his generation. 

Luigi maintained his livelihood in the veterinary field and when World War I began he was called to serve in the military.  It was here he had the misfortune of being gassed while fighting  He was sent home as an invalid.  His wife Maria cared for him and their four children and eventually he was able to return to work and support his family.  Maria’s sister, Gigina, a midwife, also lived with them.

Pino explained how he helped Luigi purchase a horse for his trade which took him to the surrounding towns in his area.  Emilio recalls accompanying his father on these calls.

As time progressed, Luigi’s health declined.  He was concerned about the welfare of his young family.  His wish to have his sons be free of the rule of conscription (military draft) is why the two older boys were sent to America, accepting Pino’s offer to have them join his family in Everett, Mass.  Emilio, age 8 and Gino, age 6, along with their aunts Francesca and Innocenza, sailed on the SS America, arriving in Philadelphia on April 21, 1921.  Luigi had succumbed to his war-related condition ten months earlier, on June 5, 1920, at age 29.

Maria moved to the U.S. in 1948 (?) and lived with her sons and Pino and Innocenza at various times before settling in Worcester in 1953 with her son Gino.  She returned to Rimini in 196? to live with her youngest son Paolo and his wife Rina.

Coincidentally, Maria died on the same date as her husband, June 5th, 64 years later in 1984, at age 95 in Rimini.