Lola Marie Rastelli

Her funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Sat. April 13th at St. Bernadette's Church, 1029 SW 128th St., Burien, WA 98146. Visitation is Friday, April 12 from 1 - 5 p.m. at Yarington's Funeral Home, 10708 16th Ave. SW, Seattle, WA 98146. A graveside service will follow the funeral at Riverton Crest Memorial at 3400 S. 140th, Tukwila, WA 98168 at 12:30, followed by a reception held at Angelo's Restaurant in Burien, 601 SW 153rd, Burien, WA.

Lola was born in Auburn Washington on October 23, 1930. She is survived by her husband Dominic Rastelli, children Gina (David) Frost, Carol Wood, Mike (Jodee) Rastelli. Grandchildren Kristina Frost, Melissa (Anthony) Collins, Scot (Michelle) Rastelli, Grady Wood, Nathan Wood, Justin Rastelli, and Great Grandchild, Kelsey Collins.

Lola was married to Dominic Rastelli for 60 years. They worked side by side during that time, starting with a family truck farm in 1945 and developing into a wholesale greenhouse which is now operated by their children. Her love of family and dedication to hard work is a legacy that will live on in us all.

Lola Marie Dubey Rastelli, a devoted & loving wife to Dominic Rastelli for over 60 years. Mother to Gina, Carol, & Mike. Grandmother to Kristy, Melissa, Grady, Nathan, Justin and myself. And since December of 2011 she held the title of “great grandmother” to Kelsey Collins. An entrepreneur & business partner with her husband & family for 60 years. Lola spent her 82 years of life loving & caring for her family, & the business they created, The Belmonte-Rastelli Greenhouse, or as it's known today as, Bel-R.

But those were just her titles. She was so much more than that to everyone around her. She was kind, generous, wise, energetic, strong, selfless, smart, modest, and funny! She didn’t try to be funny, she just was. She took, in stride, any joke she may have been the butt of, and was able to laugh easily at herself.

Every family has their stories, and ours is no exception, but the ones that make us laugh the loudest are usually about her. One such story has become known, fondly, as the infamous sundial story. Lola grew up near a Native American reservation and as a result, she always felt a connection to Indian heritage. She enjoyed Native art, culture and folk lore. And one day Dom, Lola & their daughter Carol were out for a stroll at Snoqualmie Falls. It was a nice day, plenty of sun in the sky, and as they walked further along the path that happened upon a sundial, which was adjacent to their path. Dom asked Lola, “So... What time is it?” indicating she should be able to tell from the sundial. Well, Lola had had about enough of their jokes & teasing for one day and she wasn’t going to fall for this one and announced, “Oh, you guys aren’t fooling me! I know that thing hasn't work in years!” Even passerby paused and stared as a result of Lola’s curious remark. As Dom & Carol laughed & tried to explain to Lola the error in her statement, she held her ground and, despite the growing number of spectators, stated even more loudly that the sundial hadn’t moved in ages & was in the same position as always. It didn’t work! Well, that year for Christmas, she was given a sundial which, to this day, still stands on their patio by the pool. But you know what? She was right… that dial is in the same position as it was the day she received it. It hasn’t moved in years...

Lola was an active person! She rarely sat still. It wasn’t a case of nervous energy or being unfocused. On the contrary. She knew exactly what needed to get done, and when she needed to do it. It didn’t matter what time it was, or how long she had already been working on it or how tired she was. If something needed to be done then she did it. It was just that simple. You could find her outside doing yard work at 6am before her work day at the greenhouse. After dinner, she would sew, or knit slippers for everyone, or read.

Physical pain? She must have had some but you would be hard pressed to know it because she never complained about anything! She was always strong & focused on the task before her. Emotional pain? Of course there were sad times or cranky times but her philosophy was, “If you are going to feel bad, you might as well get something done in the meantime. Then you’ll at least feel better because you accomplished something!”

Lola could sleep through thunderstorms, yet be woken up by falling snow, she would occasionally remove the creamy Oreo filling for herself and put the cookies back in package, and she was a great improviser, having once dawned a metal colander on her head to use as helmet when none could be found.

Her desire to prove she could do whatever she set out to do didn’t end with work or chores. Her entire family would routinely vacation at a fishing resort called Point No Point near Hansville. Lola loved the water and loved fishing. At the resort there was a restaurant that was famous for serving huge pancake breakfasts. Most people could only eat a short stack which consisted of two pancakes about an inch thick and the size of a large dinner plate. Lola joked that she could probably eat a full stack AND a sausage patty. Someone told her she couldn’t possibly eat that much & it was on!! Out came the 3 huge pancakes and the very large sausage patty. Everyone else ate their breakfasts and then waited while Lola set out to prove she could do it. It was such a spectacle that even a group at a nearby table stuck around to watch. The fishing tide came and went but everyone sat there fixated on watching this 5’1 ½” lady eat the giant plate of food. The last few bites might have been a struggle but she finished them and became known as the lady who ate the full stack & sausage at Point No Point Café.

Dom & Lola loved traveling together, they traveled all over the country for both business and pleasure. They have been to the capital of every state in the country except Hawaii and travelled to Europe, Mexico & the Caribbean. They did all of the traveling in the states via their car and they did this for 2 reasons. The first reason was that they believed it was the best way to truly see the country they loved. The second and arguably more important reason was that Lola was afraid to fly.

On a particularly lengthy family drive from Seattle to New York City and back again, a stop was made at Lake Michigan. All 6 people, Dom, Lola, Dom’s mother Nonny, Gina, Carol, and my father Mike, all piled out of the station wagon to hit the beach. Dom had driven from Seattle at this point and was in need of a short break so when everyone got back into the car Lola was driving. She backed up and began to pull away when all of a sudden a loud pounding came from the rear end of the car. Everyone turned around to see a panicked Mike running outside the car as his Mom began to drive away leaving him on the shores of Lake Michigan.

When Lola was ready to leave, she was ready to leave and would signify it at home by playing the piano. It was always the same song every time called the Rustic Dance, which we will hear later today. When you heard that song you knew she was done waiting and it was time to go. My father must've been waiting for the piano that day. Unfortunately, there were no pianos on the beach for him that day.

Even though she was a strong & driven person, her proudest accomplishments were her family and her marriage. She and Dom were married Dec. 13, 1952. They were much more than a married couple. They were 1 person. They spent every single day, ALL day, together for over 60 years. If he went somewhere she was right next to him. They were equal partners in the development of their business and each brought their unique strengths and talents to it. They had their differences but each agreed that there were only 2 priorities in life, their family and their business. Whatever was right for those two priorities was right for them and it was as simple as that.

As Lola’s Alzheimer’s progressed she became confused & occasionally didn’t recognize people. One day, Carol had dropped in at their house to say hello and found Lola in the kitchen slightly disoriented. She asked if she was ok, and Lola said, “Well, not really.” “Where am I? Who do I belong to?” Carol said, “Mom you’re in your kitchen at home and you are married to my Dad, Dom.” At that point Dom had walked into the room behind Carol & Lola saw him. She leaned toward Carol slightly and said in a whisper voice, “Is that him right there behind you?” Carol turned and said, “Yes, that’s him.” Lola’s eyes twinkled, and a huge smile came across her face as she said, “Boy I’m glad of that because he’s sure cute!!” She was 81 years old and STILL the sight of her husband made her heart flutter!

She loved her children and grandchildren with every fiber of her being. She saw each person as the unique individual they were and she valued those differences. She was open and honest and tried to always be fair. Everyone knew what was expected of them and they were trusted to live up to those expectations without constant reminder or correction.

My cousins and I started every school morning at her house with breakfast cereal & cartoons and quite often after school, could talk her into making one of “Grandma’s Famous Sandwiches” and a to playing game of Dominoes at her table. Her sandwiches consisted simply of sliced French Bread, Mayonnaise, Ham lunch meat, and Swiss cheese. This sounds like a simple enough recipe to replicate, and I swear Grady has tried time and time again to no avail, NOTHING tastes quite like Grandma’s ham sandwiches. No matter how hard we try, we are always missing the key ingredient…Love.

She made everyone who came in contact with her feel welcome. She had a warm heart and smile and even though she was quite sick and in pain continued to be gracious and polite to everyone who was near. She would be so very grateful that all of you came today, but she would be embarrassed that she was the current center of attention. Mostly she would hope that you all have a good time and that there is enough food for everyone. She would tell you that you shouldn’t feel bad or sad that she has passed on. That she led a wonderful & happy life and couldn’t have asked for anything more. She would say that if you are feeling sad then go do something, because you will feel better.

When she was asked about her life philosophy a couple of months ago, even though she could barely communicate, she said & I quote, “ You have to have a brain and look around you and see who has a problem and fix the problem. Everyone has to keep a hand on each other. I guess that’s how it works.” Unquote.

Lola Marie Dubey Rastelli - Devoted wife, loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother & business partner. We love you, we will miss you, but we are eternally grateful for the memories you have given us and the time you have spent with us. We will strive, every day, to embrace the principles of perseverance, of honesty, of commitment and of family that you have lived by; for we have seen in you the happy and meaningful life brought forth as a result. You will always be in our hearts. We will cherish all that you have given us. We love you Grandma.