Obituary of Gabrielle Ferrari

Gabrielle Ferrari Gabrielle Ferrari, 85, of Rome, passed away Thursday morning, April 22, 2010 at Faxton-St. Luke's Hospital after losing her battle with emphysema and lung disease. Born in St. Cecile, Quebec, Canada, on May 26, 1925, daughter of the Emelienne and Willie Belgarde, she moved to the US first to Vermont and then settled in Chicopee, Massachusetts. She is survived by her loving partner and husband, Salvatore R. Ferrari, whom she met while he was stationed in Westoverfield Air Base in Chicopee. They married in Chicopee, Mass. on July 27, 1946 and have been married and side by side for 64 years. Along with raising her family, Gabrielle was the co-owner and operator of our family's seasonal restaurant ,The Pie Stand, Turin Rd., from 1968-1999. Through her work and dedication to the business, she not only provided for her family, but gave many employees the support and encouragement of their first jobs, and most importantly gave her customers her wonderful smile and kind words every time when they would come for lunch or dinner. It is our great comfort that many Romans will remember her fondly as "the nice lady from the Pie Stand" as part of their childhood or summer memories. After retiring, Gabrielle enjoyed playing bingo with many friends locally and travelled with her family, among other places to the west coast of CA and Las Vegas. Gabrielle is survived by her husband, Sal. She was the proud mother of 5 children, Christine Ferrari of Woodland, CA, Teresa Ferrari Wilkie of Rome, NY, Dean Ferrari (predeceased), Michelle Ferrari Vallelunga and her husband Joseph, Syracuse, NY, and MSgt. Christian Ferrari USMC and his wife, Vanessa, Alexandria, VA. She is also survived by seven grandchildren, April Gabrielle Love, Gregory James King, both of Sacramento, CA, Lauren Renee Wilkie, Nashville, Gabrielle Wilkie, Rome, Emma Vallelunga, Syracuse, and Anna and Alexander Ferrari, Alexandria, VA; and one great grandchild, Bradley King. Also surviving are three sisters, Georgette Bryant and Loretta St. Marie, both of Chicopee, Mass., and Rollande Cates, Santa Rosa, CA; and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by a brother, Floyd Belgarde. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. at the Nicholas J. Bush Funeral Home, Inc., 218 W. Court St. Burial will be in St. John's Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home on Tuesday from 4-7 p.m. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made in Gabrielle's name to the American Lung Association of Central New York, 506 E. Washington St., Syracuse, NY 13202 or St. John the Baptist Church, 210 E. Dominick St., Rome, NY 13440.