87 Years, The Story of a Mad Italian Woman

87 Years, The Story of a Mad Italian Woman

Authors note: I decided since Nonna’s birthday is tomorrow that I would write a short version of the biography I hope to one day write. It’s nothing I would ever publish, but its something I would like to do, and have to pass down to other generations, so that all my children will know Nonna though her story.


June 13th 1920, the year women got the right to vote. Problem was when this baby was born she wasn’t in America. Caserta, Italy a very small town outside of Naples is where Fortunata Pascrell and Antimo Ratzano had Angela Ratzano. She was the forth child, and the only girl. Antimo had a farm, and Angela’s brothers were allowed to work on it when they got older. Angela often refused to go to school just to stay and work on the farm, because that’s what she loved to do. She would sing the most beautiful songs to her brothers as they worked and they loved to have her company.

They never had money for much, and when it came time for her to marry it was another poor farm boy who won her over. Nicola Capasso didn’t have much to offer her but they on a day in August they walked to the church to be married. Only a year later that had a son, and then 3 years later had a daughter. They lived the simple life in Italy, never any money, just living off the earth. They wanted more, not for themselves but for there children. Little Vinchenzo was just 7 and Filomena was just 4 when the moved to the United States. It wasn’t hard for them to learn the new language but Angela and Nicola struggled.

They moved around a lot at first, living with family or friends just to get by. Angela worked at Syracuse China, and Nicola worked with a trading company and was not around much. It was hard for Angela to make enough just to keep her kids well fed. They had been in the states 3 years when they had another child. Nicola insisted they name her Angela. It was clear that this child would have advantages that the others did not have because she was born in the United States. She grew up around a brother who fought in Vietnam, and a sister who married at the age of 16. Her father, Nicola, died of brain cancer while she was just 13.

Angela jr. went to high school unlike the others, she attended college unlike the others, and she even graduated law school. Nonna Angela’s job was not over yet. She moved in with Angela jr. when she had her second child (Stefanie aka ME!). She cared for both of Angela’s children like they were her own. She took them to school in the morning and tucked them in at night. She told them stories how what her life in Italy was like. She told them about there grandfather, and his quite and stern ways. She taught them to love, and to cook for people you love. She taught them to never give up on something you care about.

This is my Grandmothers life. I couldn’t thank her enough for what she did for me, and for what she did for my family. I will never forget it. Thanks for taking the time to read this. It means a lot to me.