Caterina Visconti

Caterina “Nonna” Visconti passed from this life into the arms of Jesus on August 29th, 2024 at the age of 87. She was born on September 13th, 1936 in Bagheria, Sicily, and was the oldest of three children. Her younger years were filled with tending to her father’s farm, milling wheat by hand, cooking with her mother, and helping with her younger sister and brother. At the age of 15, Caterina found her lifelong partner and husband, Giuseppe Visconti, and the two were engaged. Soon thereafter, they joined their lives together by elopment when Caterina was 16 years old and exchanged vows in the church, and the two started their family a year later.

In 1957, Caterina journeyed by boat, alone with her three-year-old first born child Francesco, and after a month of traveling, finally met Giuseppe in Venezuela, where he was searching for a better life for his family. After becoming pregnant with their second child while overseas, Caterina traveled again by boat to Sicily, joined soon thereafter by Giuseppe, and she gave birth to their second baby, Maria Giuseppa.

In 1963, Caterina traveled by herself again, this time by plane with two young children, finally reached Giuseppe, and the family settled down in San Jose, CA to start their “American Dream”. They rented a house on 13th Street in San Jose, had their third child Paola, and in 1966, started the process of building their house on Santa Mesa Drive that the family came to know so well. They moved into their brand new house in 1967, and had their fourth and last child, Margherita.

Over the next several decades, with only an elementary school education and never owning a driver’s license, Caterina lovingly helped raise her 13 grandchildren, and deeply loved all her nieces and nephews, many of whom lived very close to her. She also cared for more than 20 neighborhood children who she took in as her own. Before she passed, Caterina lived to see, hold, and dearly love 19 great-grandchildren, and was so incredibly proud of her family.

Caterina was always praying for her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, and all their families. Her faith was so incredibly strong that even other families would ask her to pray for them. She was a true prayer warrior for Jesus and spiritual advisor, and always exuded unconditional love toward every member of her family.

Caterina is preceded in death by her husband, Giuseppe and her sister, Rosa Scire D’Amico. She is survived by her brother, Baldassare Scire.

Caterina was the family role model for how prayer and dedication to Jesus should be: without ceasing, giving thanks in all circumstances (Thess 5:17-18). In her words, “Grazie Dio” (Thank you, God). Mama and Nonna’s passing has left a void in our lives, but her love for her family will transcend time and space and live on in all of us. If her life taught us but one lesson, it is that there is no such thing as too much love. We love you Nonna, tivogliamo bene, ci mancherai.

A private viewing will be held on Thursday, September 12, 2024 at 4pm and public viewing will be held at 5pm until 9pm with Rosary to commence at 7pm all at Lima Family Erickson Memorial Chapel, 710 Willow Street, San Jose, CA 95125. Family and friends are invited to attend Funeral Mass on Friday, September 13, 2023 on her birthday, 11:00am at Santa Teresa Catholic Church, 794 Calero Avenue, San Jose, CA 95123 and Entombment to follow at Los Gatos Memorial Park, 2255 Los Gatos Almaden Road, San Jose, CA 95124

If you would like to watch the Viewing and Rosary Service online please use this link

https://client.tribucast.com/tcid/c2409648187926 to sign in to the service.