Theresa was born in New Britain, Connecticut, with the assistance of a midwife, in her family home on LaFayette Street. The exact date is subject to question. For 87 years she celebrated her birthday on December 18th, the date reflected on her driver’s license, and the date she always claimed. However, at age 87, Theresa decided to accompany her family on an ocean cruise. Upon obtaining a copy of her birth certificate, she discovered the date of birth on the face of that document to be December 24th, 1921, a point she adamantly disputed. She always said her mother told her she was born on a Saturday. So...was it late in the night on Saturday the 17th, actually making it Sunday the 18th, or was it the next Saturday, the 24th, as reflected on the face of her birth certificate? The story goes that her birth occurred during a snow storm, and everyone was snowed in for a week. We may never know....
The date of death is much more certain. In the early morning hours of Thursday, March 15th, 2018, Theresa left this Earth and went on to much saner, and happier, surroundings. She spent her final months in Florida, a place she wanted to return, previously living there from 1968 through 1984. In between, she lived in Connecticut, Texas, and Georgia.
Theresa was preceded in death by her husband of 53 years, John G. Cicala, Sr., who was the love of her life. They had one child, John G. Cicala, Jr. Theresa was a totally dedicated wife and mother, and made that her life vocation, although she also worked for many years as a medical assistant to Dr. Jacob Saposnik in West Haven, Connecticut.
Theresa was preceded in death by her parents. Theresa’s parents (legally) immigrated to the United States of America. Her father, Giuseppe Soli, came to the United States in 1907 from Santa Fioria, Italy. Her mother, Margherite Pierone (sic Perrone) Soli, was from Rome, Italy.
Theresa had five (5) siblings. She was predeceased by her siblings John, Victor, Romeo, Emma, and Lucy, and their respective spouses. Theresa was the youngest of the six (6) children. She was also predeceased by all her in-laws. Theresa was a cancer survivor for over 22 years and spent much of her later years hand-knitting thousands of hats, scarfs, and booties for pediatric cancer patients. She was a vigorous and athletic person in her youth and adult life. She played league tennis for years in south Florida against persons 20 years younger than herself, and beat the snot out of most of them, consistently. She was strong, faithful to God, and a survivor. An amazing example of the best her generation produced.
She is survived by many nieces, nephews, a child, grandchildren and great grandchildren. In the true spirit of modern America, her family, like many others, is a blended family. She is survived by her son, John G. Cicala, Jr., and his wife, Tami Dee Cicala. Theresa’s first grandchild is the son of Tami and John.....you guessed it....John G. Cicala, III (a/k/a “JJ”).
Theresa is also survived by a step grand child, Kevin Lee McKinney, and his wife Jennifer Lynn McKinney. Between them they have three children, Devin, Shelby and Jaxson, who all qualify as some of the cutest great grandchildren anyone could hope for.
Arrangements under the direction of Eternal Hills Funeral Home, Snellville,
GA.
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