Jennie Rita Testa

Our mom was the second child born to Italian parents in a little town in Clymer, Pennsylvania. Her family became a large, loving, close-knit one.

As a young girl in high school, playing the violin in the band, she was part of winning the all-county band contest; eventually, she also played the piano in the movie house to accompany the silent movies. With her independent spirit, she'd open the side door and let her brothers and sisters in.

She and our dad, Ernie J. Testa, married November 7, 1936, They had Virginia and Jim while still living in Clymer. They later had Kathy in Cleveland.

After moving to Cleveland, Ohio in 1942, mom's outgoing personality, her approachability, good sense of humor, feisty ways, her "take-charge" attitude and strong work ethics always kept her involved in various organizations; becoming the President of the PTA at Walton Elementary School during the 1940's.

While raising her three children, she stayed socially active, always easily making friends throughout her life. Mom always loved and was close to her sisters and brothers and her beloved mom and dad. She and one of her sisters, Mary, worked at a candy factory in Cleveland and mom frequently came home with her pockets bulging with candy, which she continued to love all her life. She was never a drinker or a smoker, but sure liked the olives out of a family member's martini!!

When we moved from Cleveland to Whittier, CA In 1956, it was hard for her to leave her large Cleveland family and she missed them very much. To help with that loneliness mom and dad immediately joined St. Mary's Church and mom became very active in their Marion Club along with making good neighborhood friendships.

But, because she had never driven, and being the independent person she was (while dad went to work, Virginia went to work, Jim went to school and Kathy, who was still little) mom secretly took driving lessons all on her own. We were amazed the day she proudly surprised us with her brand new CA Driver's License. She was so proud of this because it then allowed her to get out, becoming involved in all the things she enjoyed doing.

She made the traditional Italian dishes and bakery she grew up with and perfected over the years. The wonderful results of her cooking and baking skills were always a treat for her family and friends. She had a loving touch with food and to her it was always about sharing it with her loved ones. She took classes in cake decorating, flower arranging and ceramics and did a lovely job with all of it.

Playing cards, dinners, dancing with their good life-long friends wherever they lived, led to them joining a square dancing club; and mom, loving to dance, and no shyness in her, was always one of the first ones out onto the dance floor at any type of event. She could speak easily and with humor with anyone or comfortably before any crowd. She had strong opinions and was never shy about voicing them!!

Eventually mom and dad moved from Whittier to Mission Viejo, where mom started working in the kitchen at O'Neill Elementary School, eventually leading to her new career of working in the pre school.

When they moved to Escondido in 1976, mom and dad immediately became active and contributing parishioners of Church of the Resurrection and she frequently commented on how beautiful it was to look out onto the large rocks and gardens through the big windows behind the altar. Mom liked Fr. Ken a lot and he officiated at their fiftieth wedding anniversary vow renewal mass. He will also be saying her funeral mass, which would mean a lot to her.

For some years after moving to Escondido, mom made the long, early-morning commute up to Mission Viejo for her pre-school job and the long drive back to Escondido. After a few years of that long commute, she wanted to work closer to home, getting a job as a pre-school teacher at Escondido Christian School. She loved working with the little kids and the staff. She was the much-loved "Miss Jennie".

Our parents joined the Escondido Elks Club, becoming active members for many years. During that time, mom joined their women's singing group: "The Emblem Belles". She loved the community involvement of singing at various hospitals, nursing homes and senior centers. She joined and got a lot of enjoyment out of belonging to the Silver Sneakers and Mall Walkers for exercise; again, always easily making good friends along the way.

Travel was also a big part of their lives and mom and dad travelled to every state, often, over the many years, visiting a state more than once. They preferred to travel by car or motor home so they could really see the places they were interested in and they loved their travel adventures.

No matter where their trips took them, she was always glad to come home to her family whom she held closely to her heart. As each one of the three of us married our spouses: Tony, Nan and Mark, mom, as was her way, welcomed and loved each of them and was fully loved in return. As grandchildren were born: Tony, Michael, Lisa, Greg and Katie; and, great grandchildren: Michael, Michelle, Tony, Kelli, Zach and Tera followed, she loved each and every one of them with an open heart, pitching in to baby sit and loving doing so. As her grandchildren married their spouses: Tracee, Dave, JoAnn and Yolanda, mom easily brought them into her heart.

For a few years she was able to know Dave's children, Katie and Zack. If she could've known Yolanda's children, Alex and Monique, and her grandchildren Alissa and Vanessa, she would've held out her hand in love to all of them.

She has one remaining sister and brother-in-law, Ida and Joe, in Cleveland along with nieces, nephews and cousins in Cleveland, Pennsylvania and Manhattan Beach, CA. Mom always loved and missed her Cleveland family, as they did her. Over the years she either took a train or a plane to go back to Cleveland for family visits that meant so much to all of them.

We celebrated the amazing milestone of the 100'th Birthday this past July 4th, 2014.

These past six plus years mom had excellent caregiving. Venita was one of the original of several caregivers for the first three years, then moving in to our parents' home these last three years as a full-time caregiver, always providing excellent, compassionate care, however and whenever needed. And we believe mom knew she was being beautifully cared for.

Until mom fell at the end of June, 2008, which changed her life, she was still active in mind and body, always taking care of her beloved husband and her home while still doing her own cooking and baking and always still being the loving, caring mother, grandmother and great grandmother to everyone, because to our mom home and family were everything.

She lived a full life and her devotion to our dad and to all of her family and friends was unending.

Jennie Rita Testa was someone who lived and enjoyed her life, a strong, moral woman who led by example and from whom we've all learned.

It is a given we will each hold her in our hearts because she certainty held all of us in hers.

Arrangements under the direction of McLeod Mortuary, Escondido, CA.