Adeline M. Neve

Our Mom, Grandma, and Great-Grammee, “Sweet Adeline” became an angel in heaven on Tuesday, June 22, 2021. Adeline M. Neve was 94 and surrounded in love with family the morning she joined God and her mom in heaven.

Born December 5, 1926 in San Diego to Edward Ghio and Albina Toso, Adeline was an only child. Both of her parents were from the Genoa Region of Italy and their families were very ingrained in the San Diego and San Francisco Italian Communities and the tuna fishing industry. Adeline loved growing up on Columbia street in Little Italy surrounded by a tight knit group of family and friends. Adeline attended Washington School, Roosevelt Jr. High, and graduated from San Diego High School where she loved being a “sock safety.” She attended school with many of the children that lived in her neighborhood. Her life-long best friends were Vivian Tarantino Casciola, and Hortensia “Tootles” Marlene Santos.

At the age of 17, Adeline’s mom passed away and a part of her heart was lost forever. Adeline always spoke of the amazing woman her mom was and honored her for all of her life. In her early 20’s, while attending a USO Dance with Vivian, Adeline met Joseph Neve, a fellow northern Italian and it was love at first sight (she was after all known for her beautiful ruby red lips). Joe stole her heart and their love story began. They married when she was 21 and they moved to Mission Hills, as did many Italians after Interstate 5 was constructed through Little Italy. In 1948, they gave birth to their first born son, John Joseph. Three years later, their daughter, Susan Diane was born in 1951.

As the children grew, the family spent nearly every Sunday at Santa Clara Point with family and friends at the beach. Adeline was known for her homemade fried chicken and potato salad, both Sunday beach staples. She loved watching John play baseball and delighted in Susan’s school involvement. She relived stories of her children’s youth with happiness and pride throughout her life.

Years came and went and before she knew it, Adeline celebrated the birth of her first grandchild, Marsi or as she affectionately called her, Marsi Atha. The births of four more beautiful grandchildren followed closely behind as Frank John (aka Franken Berry), Anthony (aka Peanut Brittle), Jolene (aka Beanie), and Joey (aka Joey Bagoey) filled her heart with great love. Adeline devoted everything to her grandchildren and did everything she could to make them happy. She had a huge heart and made a mean egg salad sandwich. Family gatherings were always her favorite events. When her birthday or a holiday was approaching all she ever wished for was that her family be together. One of her most prized family traditions was ravioli making at Christmas time. This is a family tradition that was started before she was born and will be carried on in her memory.

Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church was founded by many Italian families and was home to her community. Adeline loved this church where she was baptized and received her first Holy Communion. She was a member of the Our Lady of the Rosary Guild and the Madonna del Lume Society. She loved to help at the annual OLR Spaghetti Dinner and other church events. Her grandchildren have happy memories of working at the Spaghetti Dinner with her. She worked in the kitchen, serving salad, sneaking them rolls and salami to eat as they worked their shifts. They always had such pride that their grandma had a long history at this special church.

There are jobs and friends that always brought a smile to Adeline’s face, but nothing was ever as lovely as that of her family. Adeline was in the room to witness the birth of some of her great grandchildren and was always overjoyed when a new addition to the family was born. Each birth was celebrated and never forgotten; even as Adeline got up in years, she remembered everyone’s birthday. Adeline always bragged about her 12 great-grandchildren and how much she loved them all. The fact that such a big, strong, and beautiful family was a result of her life with Joe always made her cup run over. There were some difficult times in her life and fear was real but her faith in God and family kept her afloat. Even as she was preparing to leave her life on earth and enter the kingdom of heaven, God and family were all that were clear to her. Though Adeline is in heaven, she lives on in the hearts of her family...as she is in them and they in her.

Adeline is preceded in death by her loving mother; father; uncle Johnny Toso (who was like a father to her and grandfather to her children); and many of her dearest friends.

Adeline is survived by her children, John (Lena Jo) Neve, Susan Neve Filippone; grandchildren, Marsi (Jonathon) Filippone Santos, Frank John (Mariel) Filippone, Anthony (Rachel) Filippone, Jolene (Michael) Neve Summers, and Joey (Danielle) Neve; and her 12 greatgrandchildren, Isaiah Neve Serpa, Giuliano Santos, Massimo Santos, Marley Filippone, Vincent Filippone, Adeline Santos, Manny Filippone, Donovan Filippone, Farrah Filippone, Avery Neve, Ella Neve, and Violette Summers. Adeline’s family was her true pride, love, and joy. She wanted nothing more than to have her family together.

A funeral Mass will be held on July 1, 2021 at Our Lady of the Rosary Italian Catholic Church at 9:00AM. Following the mass, Adeline will be laid to rest at Holy Cross Cemetery and Mausoleum.