Carmela M Soccio

Carmela “Mom, Carmen, Melina or Granny – depending on how you knew her” passed away peacefully on August 22, 2025 at 93 years old. She would tell you that she was proudly born in Omaha, Nebraska on January 4, 1932 to Anthony (Tony) and Sebastiana (Netti) Lopina. She was the middle child of 7 and the first girl and boy were her older brothers, Frankie, Freddie and Sammy glad that she came along. Eventually, as she grew up, she would be her mom’s helper, cooking and cleaning freeing the boys up to go play instead. Her younger brother Junior would be her best friend and playmate until her sisters Nancy and Rosemary, lovingly referred to as the brat because she was the baby, were born.

When she was 14 the family moved to San Jose, CA. where she attended San Jose High School. She was just 16 and at a community dance, when she met and eventually became engaged to her future husband, Lewis (Louie) Soccio. They were married on July 25, 1950 right after they both graduated high school.

In 1953, their daughter Nannette was born and in 1955 they welcomed another daughter into the world, a beautiful baby girl, Terrie Ann. After a long illness, Terrie passed away at the age of 14 which broke my mother’s heart.

Louie & Carmen shared a long life together enjoying their “Bella Vita” a 36 ft sail boat which my dad built over a 10 year period. They loved to entertain on the boat in the San Francisco Bay and did a bit of ocean sailing too which included some memory making and sometimes scary moments surviving mother nature.

Her most special love was for her 3 grandchildren! She was very proud of them and she loved them so much! She was the best Granny ever, always there for every important event in their lives which made them feel special! Sharing time with them, till the very end, made her so very happy!

She will be remembered as the Matriarch of the family, the one who loved celebrating every birthday and holiday at Grandma’s house and the one who lovingly put together family reunions for all of us to come together and enjoy!

She is preceded in death by her loving parents, all four of her brothers, her daughter Terrie Ann and her husband. She is survived by her daughter Nannette and husband Ernie, her 3 grandchildren, Tina, Jodi and Bobby and their spouses Andy, Derek and Brittany, as well as, by her 9 great grandchildren, Chandler, Zaccary, Rowan, Nathan, William, Ellis, Miller, Emberly and Anthony, her sisters Nancy and Rosemary, sisters in law Janice and Judy and many nieces and nephews.

She will be lovingly remembered by all of her friends and family, her “extra kids that called her mom and a few that called her Granny” and everyone that she crossed paths with during her lifetime. Her smile, hugs and kisses will never fade from our memories! I will never, ever forget you Mommie, I promise!