Agostina "Tina" Masia Viti

When Agostina "Tina" Masia Viti walked into the room, those in her company felt energy, an enthusiastic spontaneity. This was just one example of who Tina was and how she impacted those around her. Tina was a clever and gregarious person who always sought out the finest attributes in other people. It was as if she wanted to share all of their experiences, revel in their lives and celebrate their discoveries. Tina was tireless and had boundless enthusiasm that would serve her well throughout her life.

Tina was born on August 28, 1927 at home in Sardegna, Italy. She was the daughter of Bartolomeo Masia and Ippolita Masia (nee Pirisi). She moved to Rome and later emmigrated to the USA in her 20's where she settled in Washington, DC. She grew up to be quite a humorous person. While some who knew Tina might describe her as an idealist, her friends and family understood well that she was always in pursuit of life’s endless possibilities and opportunities available to her.

Tina was raised with 6 brothers and sisters; Rita, Pasqualina, Maria, Giuseppe, Salvatore, and Antonio. She was predeceased by 5 siblings. Tina was very accepting and supportive of her family. She was perceived as the central person in her family in terms of keeping communication open between the family members. Whenever discord or tension arose within the home, Tina was typically the member who brought about resolution and harmony. These traits served her well in her adult life and, along with her wit, outgoing personality, and understanding of others, drew the admiration of many who knew her.

As a young girl, Tina was able to empathize and identify with a vast array of people and personality types. This quality drew her into a diverse group of friends and acquaintances. She was intelligent and had little trouble getting along with her peers. She was almost always the first to jump in when it came to playing games or participating in other childhood activities, such as hopscotch, jump rope, and hide and seek. In her spare time she liked to knit, crochet, and cook. Tina's memorable achievements included being a fabulous governess. She had the ability to find amusement with almost any activity she and the many childhood friends she shared might discover.

With a talent for making acquaintances easily which in turn brought her an endless stream of friends, Tina was very sociable and could blend without effort into any social group. Assertive and outgoing, she was easy to know and demonstrated a deep concern for others. She always seemed aware of what was going on with people around her and throughout her life she made many, many friends. Later in life, she became friends with Francesca and Oreste Greco, Maria and Fortini Adriano, Pam and Martin Brown, Giuseppe and Laura Passeretti, Giuseppe and Luciana D'Emilia, Luciano Vignola, Antonio and Maria Mastrangelo, Pino and Loreta Mastrangelo, and many more.

On December 30, 1950 Tina married Vittorio "Victor" Viti at Cedar Lane Unitarian Church of Bethesda, Maryland. She was quite sensitive towards Vittorio's needs, showing her constant concern and fondness. Tina was tenderhearted and sensitive, qualities that served her well in helping to nurture her family.

Tina was a natural and creative parent who was willing to provide her family with all sorts of new and interesting experiences. Parenting was a particularly enjoyable and pleasurable part of her life. Every activity, from chores to bedtime routines, became a game in the Viti home. Tina's skill at understanding her children's feelings, her sensitivity to their needs, and her gift for gentle persuasion enabled her to find novel solutions to any problem or situation that might crop up. She was blessed with 1 child, a daughter named Paola Velia. She was also blessed with 4 grandchildren, Vittorio Nandin Luchi, Jackson Charles Luchi, Olivia Caroline Luchi, and Bradley Preston Luchi.

Tina was uplifted by new ideas and was excited by life’s possibilities, traits that made her an exceptional worker. Her primary occupation was Governess to Italian Naval Attache' and Venezuelan Ambassador of Washington, DC. She was also a caterer with prestigious catering companies in the Washington, Metropolitan area, and later in life was a homemaker and caregiver. Tina was enterprising, inventive and working against deadlines seemed to energize her. She had the uncanny ability to identify a win/win solution to just about any problem, possibly because of her gift for insight. Her fellow workers saw her as a supporter and a mentor.

Because she loved to have a broad variety of activities in her life, she took advantage of the opportunity to pursue numerous hobbies. Her favorite pursuits were gardening, crotcheting, knitting, sewing, gourmet cooking, cards, traveling, and swimming. She was also a beautiful opera style singer, as well as a great ballroom and Tango dancer. Tina had a knack for being able to multi-task in order to create time for all of her favorite pastimes. However, her ever-present concern for others always took precedent.

Tina derived much satisfaction from watching her favorite sport.Top on her list was Italian soccer. Her favorite team was Cagliari.

Throughout her life, she was actively involved in professional and community organizations. She was compassionate, accommodating and quick to move into action. Always able to build a consensus, Tina seemed to be the person smack dab in the middle of things, working to get things done. Those who had the opportunity to work with her usually agreed that when you were involved in an organization with her, it was as entertaining as anything you could imagine. Tina was a member of the Sons and Daughters of Italy.

Because Tina was constantly in the center of things and where the action was, she always seemed willing to join in and help, regularly getting involved in community activities. Tina's gift of planning and improvisation, along with a talent for rallying support, made her a great asset. Tina found new ways of getting things done in order to help make just about every activity more efficient and enjoyable. She was an active member of the community groups, Mapelwood Development Community of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware and the Fallston Commons Community, Fallston, MD.

Tina was a woman who was dedicated and devoted to her faith. She was a member of Holy Rosary Roman Catholic Church of Washington, DC, and the St. Anne's Roman Catholic Church of Washington, DC, both for 60 years, and later the St. Mark's Roman Catholic Church of Fallston, MD for 6 years. During that time she participated in all the fund raisers, attended EVERY Sunday mass, as well as every Holy Day of Obligation. She was sympathetic and able to empathize with others and she used these qualities to the fullest while working tirelessly for her beliefs.

Though she never did anything solely for individual recognition, Tina's ingenuity, resourcefulness, and selflessness, earned her accolades for her efforts. One of her most prestigious awards included Top Honor Roll Student in English and Sewing at the Americanization School.

Tina's love of improvising in her daily life was a perfect fit for her enjoyment of traveling. Her favorite vacations were ones that were not planned. Traveling in a casual manor fit her personality well. Excited about seeing changing scenery and constantly looking for the enjoyment life could offer, Tina took her vacations seriously, well, as seriously as she possibly could. Favorite vacations included traveling to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, Italy, and Switzerland. She also went on 3 cruises in her last 10-15 years.

Tina was a lover of animals and cherished her pets. She had 7 dogs in her lifetime and loved them all equally. most lived to be 12-17 years old. Her family was rounded out by her parakeets and canaries

When Tina's retirement finally came in 1975, at nearly 50 years of age, Tina handled it the way she usually did. She adapted and, like everything in her life, made it satisfying. Because she was such a flexible person and able to adjust to any situation, retirement was just another enjoyable change of pace for Tina to master. In retirement, she found new pleasure in helping to raise her 2 grandsons, Vittorio Luigi and Francesco Paolo. She enjoyed being a wife, mother, grandmother, homemaker, cooking, attending school activities for her grandchildren, and family vacations. Even in retirement, she continued to stay in touch with her family, old friends and like always, made plenty of new ones.

Tina was a dynamic, self-expressive person who was forever looking to celebrate the endless possibilities life had to offer. She had a knack for being clever, creative and witty, and for others, was a joy to be around. While she was often fiercely independent, it seemed as if many others looked to Agostina "Tina" Viti for inspiration, leadership, wisdom and even courage. Tina was always more than willing to share life’s experiences with her loved ones.

On September 16, 2018, Agostina “Tina” Masia Viti passed away peacefully at Stella Maris Hospice Facility in Lutherville, Maryland. She fought a brave battle against breast cancer and lung cancer. She was the beloved wife of the late Vittorio “Victor” A. Viti; devoted mother of Paola V. Luchi and her late husband Olinto; loving grandmother of Vittorio L. Luchi, and Francesco P. Luchi; cherished great-grandmother of Vittorio Nandin Luchi, Jackson C. Luchi, Olivia C. Luchi, and Bradley P. Luchi; dear sister of Antonio Masia and his wife Gina. Tina was predeceased by 6 siblings. Also survived by many loving nieces and nephews, as well as extended family members and friends here, in Italy, and Switzerland.

Relatives and friends are invited to gather at Schimunek Funeral Home of Bel Air, 610 W. MacPhail Rd., Bel Air, MD 21014, on Friday, September 21, 2018, from 4-8pm. A funeral mass will be held on Saturday at 10am at St. Mark Roman Catholic Church (Fallston, MD). Entombment services will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery (Silver Spring, MD). In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Tina’s name to Stella Maris Hospice 2300 Dulaney Valley Rd., Timonium, MD 21093, or St. Mark Catholic Church Food Bank, 2407 Laurel Brook Rd., Fallston, MD 21047.