Maria Riccardi Shortt, 86, passed away at her home surrounded by her family, on Monday, February 18th, 2019, joining her husband, William, and her son, Mike. She was born on July 31st, 1932, in Naples, Italy, to Anna Maria and Antonio Riccardi, and was the middle of 6 children. After meeting William, the love of her life, in a USO hall in Naples in 1960, she took the bold, life-changing step of leaving her home, family, and country to begin her new family with Willy in California. Though she spoke little English when she arrived in San Jose, she flourished for over 50 years, delighting everyone who knew her with her lively sense of humor, her wonderful cooking, and her indefatigable optimism. She leaves behind two daughters, Laura and Anna (Alex), two grandchildren, Gabriella and Joshua, and one great-granddaughter, Adeline. Family, friends, bingo buddies, and others whose lives Maria touched are invited to the Lima Family Mortuary, 466 N. Winchester Blvd., on Friday, March 1st, at 1:00pm. Burial service will follow at the Santa Clara Mission Cemetery.