Lucille Rampi, age 92, passed away by natural causes on Monday, September 14, 2020. She was born July 5, 1928 in Paterson, New Jersey to Luigi and Vittoria Tamburro. She was preceded in death by her husband of 50 years, Raymond Rampi, and is survived by her 5 loving children, 11 grandchildren, and 16 great grandchildren.
A small, private Catholic Mass will be held for Lucille on Friday, September 18, 2020 at 11:00 AM. Due to precautions related to COVID-19, this service will be limited to only members of the immediate family to attend in person. However, all are encouraged to join virtually via Zoom using the following Meeting ID Code: 961 223 7474. A “Celebration of Life” will be held in her honor at a later date. For those not able to attend this event and/or interested readers, a eulogy is provided below. Should friends desire, contributions may be sent to Blessed Trinity Catholic Church Orlando.
Lucille was born and raised in Paterson, New Jersey. She enjoyed being a member of a large “Italian family” having four siblings and surrounded by numerous relatives. She would fondly recall how she would walk with her girlfriends through her Italian neighborhood and how the air was filled with the aroma of fried braciole, spicy meatballs, and other Italian delights. She particularly enjoyed tasty cannoli. Lucille was surrounded by the adoration of her brothers and relished the affection she shared with her sister.
Growing up during a time when not all families had TVs let alone being glued to the Internet, Lucille was a bit of a “tomboy”. She enjoyed playing basketball and was captain of the lady’s basketball team. She also enjoyed roller skating and recounted how one night while skating with friends the music was interrupted abruptly by stunning news announced over the intercom … Pearl Harbor had been attacked!
Lucille and Ray met in high school and were high school sweethearts. While Ray served in the U.S. Coast Guard during the time of World War II, he wrote beautiful love letters which included skillfully drawn artwork to his darling Lucille who eagerly awaited his return. The loving couple were wed on August 20, 1949 and were happily married until “the good Lord above” took Ray home in 1998. Together they raised five wonderful children. With time, their children had children then these children had children of their own. She mentioned more than once how name tags would be needed at family gatherings as the family continued to grow!
Lucille and Ray moved to Orlando in 1959 after Ray accepted a position with Martin Marietta. By now with four children and a fifth soon to be on his way, Lucille captured the essence of the perfect housewife. She kept meticulous care of her belongings. To this day, a GE refrigerator manufactured in the ‘50s that’s nearly in mint condition can be found in her house. Her house was always spotless, the dirty laundry from five very active children never piled up, the table was perfectly set, dinner was always a dining experience, and she would never complain about the chores she had performed. In addition to this, she was an exemplary office manager for much of her adult life and excelled at organization, focus, and a strife for perfection. No one could outpace Lucille on the typewriter! She “multi-tasked” before this phrase was ever coined balancing being a dedicated housewife and mother along with being a professional.
Lucille and Ray had many friends from the Skycrest community located in south Orlando. Even after moving from here a few years later to where she resided until the time of her passing, this tightly-knit group of friends enjoyed playing bridge, would sometimes go out to dance, or simply enjoy each other’s company. She was also friendly with her close neighbors at the house where she would spend her next 55 years.
Lucille had a gift for nurturing and providing love and affection. She especially enjoyed babysitting her grandchildren then, as her hourglass of time continued, her great grandchildren too. She took this position seriously with a watchful eye and a talent for making the best chocolate milk shaken in a mason jar until filled with froth. Even though she had at least few grandchildren she called “Dolly”, this particular Dolly felt as if they were her only one. She was also a specialist at sending “love notes” to family members both near and far including many nephews and nieces who fondly referred to her as Aunt Lucille. Lucille enjoyed family time and never missed a family gathering. It was traditional to feast on a large Italian spread at her house on every Christmas Day ‘til 2019.
For many years, “Mama Lu” would visit her son’s dental office on a monthly basis to help “the girls” stuff envelopes. Even after she fell in May of 2020, she would keep up her “secretarial skills” by playing word search puzzles. Lucille’s collection of angels is magnificent with each one catalogued with the date, by whom it was given, and for what occasion; again, this is evidence of her knack for organizing.
Lucille was a dedicated Parishioner at Blessed Trinity Catholic Church. She would attend Mass every week at the exact same time and would socialize with many of the same neighboring parishioners. She had “her pew” at church and “her Missalette” with the Rampi name found on the inside cover that was dedicated in honor of her late husband. She was a devout Catholic although she also enjoyed watching Joel Osteen on Sunday mornings. She made frequent reference to “the good Lord up above”.
Lucille had her favorite expressions and stories such as “the stork found out where we lived when we moved to Orlando”, “I’m in good shape for the shape I’m in”, “this old gray mare ain’t what she used to be”, “this too will come to pass”, and so many others we all endeared. She would tell these stories and say these sayings with a smile on her face and a shining twinkle in her beautiful blue eyes.
Since Lucille is no longer with us on earth, she will be deeply missed. All of us who knew her are sure she earned a “fast pass” to Heaven and has now joined her magnificent collection of angels … this much we have faith in. After all, it was Lucille who had a definition of the word “faith” handwritten on a plain white card dated July 11, 2001 taped above her kitchen sink to remind her every day the meaning of this word. Here she referenced a caption from Guide Posts that stated the following: “This thing called Faith is real … it will hold you up and get you through.” Though she will be deeply missed, she’ll be in our hearts forever.
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