1 Photo
Maria DiRico Tenaglia
Maria DiRico Tenaglia, known as Mary to her friends, of East Quogue died on Thursday, August 9. She was 92.
Born on July 16, 1920, in Orsogna, Italy, she emigrated to the United States when she was 16 years old. After a long tenure as a dressmaker in Manhattan and on Long Island, Ms. Tenaglia, along with her husband Tony and their children, settled in East Quogue. Besides her notable sewing skills, she was also known for her incomparable cooking skill. Well into her 80s, she continued to prepare Sunday dinner for her family, complete with homemade sauce, meatballs and sometimes the eggplant Parmesan that her grandchildren loved.
Her grandchildren could always count on their grandmother to take in a skirt or hem a pair of pants for them. She also loved to crochet and her bright blankets adorned not only the beds of her grandchildren, but also the cribs of newborn babies to whom she often donated her intricate needlework, survivors said.
While living in East Quogue, Ms. Tenaglia was able to pursue her other great passion: gardening. In the spring, her yard smelled of lilacs, in the summer, basil and roses. Ms. Tenaglia passed her love of gardening and cooking down to her family members, many of whom have fond memories of gathering tomatoes from her garden and rolling out the dough for Christmas cookies in her kitchen.
When her own mother, for whom she cared, died at the age of 97 in the late 1980s, Ms. Tenaglia began a new career at Southampton College, preparing and serving meals to students. Her radiant smile and loving encouragement to “have a little more” endeared her to the students, who affectionately called her “Grandma.”
She taught her children and grandchildren the importance of family, of coming together for meals, of sharing stories and memories around the kitchen table. “There’s always room for one more,” “Any time of day is a good time to eat,” and “Never stop moving and doing what you love” were the lessons her family members carry.
Ms. Tenaglia is survived by a daughter, Tina Zeltmann and her husband Stephen of East Quogue; her son, Anthony Tenaglia and his wife Lillian of East Moriches; and her five grandchildren, Anthony Tenaglia Jr., Christopher Zeltmann and his wife Jennifer, Angela Tenaglia, Michael Tenaglia and Jennifer Zeltmann Fiore and her husband Paul. She was predeceased by her husband, Tony.
Visitation and funeral arrangements were provided by Follett and Werner Funeral Home in Westhampton Beach. A funeral Mass was held at the Church of St. Rosalie in Hampton Bays on Tuesday, August 14, with interment at the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Cemetery in Southampton.
on Aug 13, 2012