Couple recall a wedding `that was meant to be'.Byline: Anna L. Griffin LEOMINSTER - Walter and Nellie See Sooty albatross (Bevilacqua) Barbaresi celebrated their 72nd wedding anniversary Friday with a special dinner at their residence, Sunrise Assisted Living as·sist·ed living n. A living arrangement in which people with special needs, especially older people with disabilities, reside in a facility that provides help with everyday tasks such as bathing, dressing, and taking medication. . They were married on Feb. 1, 1936, at St. John's Church St. John's Church may refer to: In Armenia:
Despite the longevity of their marriage, the Barbaresis had no particular secrets to share, but they emphasize that family has always been very important to them. Told that their photograph was about to be taken, Mr. Barbaresi, 96, didn't hesitate to swing his arm over his wife's shoulder. They smiled and posed, waiting patiently as one photograph after another was taken. Recollecting memories of more than seven decades, Mrs. Barbaresi said the weather on their wedding day was "cold, but it was really beautiful." Her wedding dress wasn't handmade, she said; it had been bought in Worcester. The couple had a small wedding, and a reception at the Bevilacqua home, with food prepared by the women of the family. After dinner, they said, all of the furniture - except for the piano - was removed from the living and dining rooms to make way for dancing. They spent their first night as husband and wife at the Bancroft Hotel, Worcester. The next day, they boarded a train headed for New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. , but ended up in Bridgeport, Conn., where they spent the remainder of the honeymoon with her uncle and his family. They had run out of money. Mr. Barbaresi said it was a good thing the couple had received some money for their wedding, for otherwise they would not have been able to get back to Clinton. The town would be their home for many years. Mr. Barbaresi was proprietor of the Army & Navy Store in Clinton from 1948 to 1978. He also worked at the International Golf Club in Bolton from 1978 to 2001. Mrs. Barbaresi worked at her husband's store, as a forelady in a plastics factory, and as a head teller for the former Worcester County Worcester County is the name of several counties in the United States of America:
They have two children, Patricia James and Donna Cronin. Mrs. James and her husband, George, of Leominster, and Mrs. Cronin and her husband, Walt, of Warwick, R.I., attended the dinner party. Both of their daughters said their parents were active members of the community, as well as being very family-oriented. Mr. and Mrs. Barbaresi were members of St. John's Church. Mr. Barbaresi was one of the collectors of donations during Masses at the church until 2006, and he was leader of the church ushers. He is also a 4th-degree member of the Knights of Columbus Knights of Columbus, American Roman Catholic society for men, founded (1882) at New Haven, Conn. (where its headquarters are still located), by Father Michael J. McGivney. . For many years, Mrs. Barbaresi was very active in the church. She is a member of the St. John's knitters and quilters and has made many items over the years, such as blankets, for family members, friends and various charities. She was also a member of the Clinton Hospital Guild and, until 2005, worked polls on Election Day at Clinton Town Hall. Although the couple has been married for 72 years, they've known each other even longer - both were born in South Ashburnham. Their families came from the same town in Italy and, as was the custom, immigrant families settled near one another in their adopted homeland. Mr. Barbaresi's family, however, moved back to Italy when he was 3 years old. Mrs. Barbaresi's family stayed in this country and eventually ended up in Clinton, where her father found work first at the Wachusett Reservoir Wachusett Reservoir (wôch  `sĭt), on the South Branch of the Nashua River, central Mass., NE of Worcester; built 1897–1905. and then at Bigelow Carpet Mills.
While in Italy, Mr. Barbaresi's family was hit by tragedy. His mother died during the influenza epidemic influenza epidemic caused 500,000 deaths in U.S. alone (1918–1919). [Am. Hist.: Van Doren, 403] See : Disease and his father died of typhoid typhoid or typhoid fever Acute infectious disease resembling typhus (and distinguished from it only in the 19th century). Salmonella typhi, usually ingested in food or water, multiplies in the intestinal wall and then enters the bloodstream, causing three years later. Orphaned at the age of 8, he and his brother were sent to live with their grandmother. However, these were troubled times in Italy. As Mussolini rose to power, Mr. Barbaresi's grandmother was concerned that her young grandsons - barely teen-agers - would be conscripted into the Italian army The Italian Army (Esercito Italiano) is the ground defense force of the Italian Republic. It recently (July 29th, 2004) became a professional all-volunteer force of 115,000 active duty personnel. . So she sent the two of them back to the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. , where they had been born. They made their way to Clinton to live with Mrs. Barbaresi's family - the Bevilacquas. "I guess it was just meant to be," said their daughter, Donna Cronin. ART: PHOTOS CUTLINE: (1) Nellie and Walter Barbaresi enjoy their 72nd anniversary dinner at Sunrise Assisted Living. (2) Walter and Nellie Barbaresi on their wedding day, Feb. 1, 1936. PHOTOG pho·tog n. Informal A person who takes photographs, especially as a profession; a photographer. : (1) ANNA L. GRIFFIN |
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