Obituary: Elvira Rosa Tamasi, 91

Elvira Rose (Perna) Tamasi died at the University Medical Center in Princeton on Sept. 10.

She was born in Pantaniello, Italy, on May 21, she loved life and loved her family. She was a passionate student and was being groomed by her teacher to become a teacher herself. She was a treasure trove of prose, poetry, limericks, ancient sayings and narratives, many of which were handed down from her grandmother, Filomena Nini. She loved to make home repairs and frequently consulted with and shared tools with her son-in-law, Ralph. She cared for her mother, Lucia, until Lucia died at age 103.

She immigrated to the United States with her family on the Andrea Doria in 1955. She was predeceased by her husband, Angelo Michele Tamasi; her father, Anthonio Perna; her mother, Lucia (Altieri) Perna; her siblings, Ginetta, Claudino Umberto, Armando, Pierina (Perna) Stefanelli and Michael Perna.

She is survived by her daughters, Antonietta Branham and her husband Lonnie Branham; Pierina Thayer and her husband Ralph Thayer, both of Princeton; Rita deRose and her husband, Romeo deRose of Bayville, Long Island. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Michelle Barshay, Aaron Thayer, Adriano deRose, Mirella deRose, and Genevieve Thayer, as well as her great-grandchildren, Connor, Esme Lucia, and Marissa, and many nieces and nephews.

The funeral will be held 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14, from the Mather-Hodge Funeral Home. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 11 a.m. St. Paul's Church, 214 Nassau St. Burial will follow in the Princeton Cemetery.

Memorial contributions will be made to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.