Mrs. Palma Centrone

Palma Therese was born on Palm Sunday March 28,1926 in Butler, PA, the last of 11 children to Italian immigrants Nicholas and Filamena Marinaro. Palma passed away into the hands of our Lord on her 86th birthday, after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease, which she fought with grace and dignity.

When Palma was 10 most of the family migrated to Fresno and settled in Italian town on the west side. It was a large household, but there was always room for family, friends, and other guests at the table. Palma attended Catholic grammar school, and later graduated from Edison High where she was student body secretary her senior year. During the war, Palma volunteered at the local USO, and worked at several jobs before starting at the Fresno Bee where she remained for 37 years.

She married Leonard Centrone, and in 1950 their only child, Phyllis Ann, was born. In 1964 Palma and Lee pooled their resources, enabling him to follow his dream of owning their own business PAMSCO, a local plumbing and air conditioning supply. Palma continued to work at the Fresno Bee which provided health insurance, while Lee ran the family business. She was a supportive wife and a loving mother, devoting her time away from work to her daughter, Lee and extended family. She had a witty and humorous personality, was an excellent writer, loved being around people, and baked wonderful desserts. Always a gracious hostess, no guest ever left her home with their sweet tooth unsatisfied.

In 1973 her daughter married, and Palma became a mother-in-law, another job at which she excelled. She finally had the son she had never borne. In her spare time she enjoyed traveling with her family, and seeing many parts of the world.

The family would like to thank her sometime care giver and friend, Julie Gianonni, her doctors and nurses, and the California Armenian Home for the help and excellent care they provided her.

Palma was preceded in death by her husband Lee.

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Phyllis and Greg Netherton; one sister, Virginia Abbott of Fresno; and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held at Whitehurst, Sullivan, Burns & Blair Funeral Home on Saturday, April 7, 2012 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Helen Catholic Church on Monday April 9, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. Interment to follow at St. Peter's Cemetery.

Remembrances may be made to The California Armenian Home, or St. Helen Catholic Church.