Thank you for giving me one of the greatest gifts, your son.  I will miss you xx

We are so sorry for the loss of your beautiful mother. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. We will see you when we return to Toronto.

Dear "great grandmother" as the correct title should be, since you are expecting your fifth great grandchild in August:

I can sincerely say that you are like my mother, spending almost two decades with us in our home has entitled you to be called "mother" by all of us. As one reflects on the laughs, sorrows and antics of all types, one feels privileged knowing that you had a great family experience. 

But not all of it was of a desirable nature - the sudden trips to the hospitals were your worst moments, after all, with your heart condition, arthritic pains on more joints than you have in your entire body, one kidney barely supporting your culinary habits, and your blood pressure and diabetes closely watching your every move at the kitchen table. You persevered with your exotic taste for the wonderful Mediterranean cuisine, the ceremonial afternoon espresso with three teaspoons of sugar and a cookie and made sure your senses weren't deprived when it came to sampling and indulging. Your favourite expression was always: "When God comes to get me, I will go with a full stomach". From my perspective, trying to make breakfast exciting for you was a monumental task. With your distaste of a meal which would not aggravate your various medical conditions, it was difficult to make an appealing looking breakfast. Whole wheat or multigrain bread were your mortal enemies. It had to be a traditional white bread which would cling to the ribs and which all health enthusiasts would frown upon. Bread was definitely your staple at the dinner table. A slice of toast, two strawberries and a slice of melon presented in a smiley face design on the breakfast plate didn't entertain you; you only noticed that the slice of bread was the main theme. Your medical specialists would have frowned at your diet, but since you didn't believe in diets, you proved them all wrong. 

You challenged all odds; medically, physically and frequently emotionally - as with a long life, one often wonders when the inevitable end will come - and with all the medical conditions that end seemed too far. You were always ready for the inevitable, and with that thought, you made sure that another prayer was always added to your arsenal. It wasn't difficult to hear that the prayers weren't for yourself, but for your children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and the health, safety and harmony of every member of your corral, but especially for world peace. It was easy to count all your prayers since your whispers could be heard from across the room and sometimes through the wall. 

With a long life and a painful few weeks you decided it was time to move on and leave us with countless memories about how a "tough woman" took life by the horns and made a legend of it. You proved that measuring time by the minute is old fashioned - you measured time by the prayer. You can definitely say: "I did it my way".

We will surely miss you - as the absence of your traditions and presence will leave a vacuum in our household. May God finally keep you from harm and give you peace and a well deserved rest.

Happy trails, to our great grandmother, and may the rest of your journey (which we will not be witness to) be nothing but legendary.


Love, Alfonso

although i knew maria for more than 20 years, i must confess i never knew her as maria, only as Nonna......because to all the world she was Nonna. When i think of Nonna , a few words come to mind...love, honour, pride, joy and inspiration....she was an inspiration to her children, her grand-children, her great grandchildren and to all around her.  she loved life, people and especially her family, a family of which she could rightly be so proud.  She was devoted.  She was honourable (i remember her fighting with her daughter Jackie over $ 10 worth of groceries that she refused to let jackie pay for her...lol). Most of all, she had an undending gentle kindness, especially towards youth.......oh how she loved youth and i remember how she would stroke the cheeks of children and smile.
she welcomed sandy and i into her family as though we had always been a part of her family.
she will be missed, but one thing for certain she left her mark on the world and she left a legacy of goodness behind her in the family and extended family that she raised and inspired....

Our condolences to the entire Augello family. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. May all 93 years of her memory carry you through these hard times. May we all live to see our grandchildren's children! What a matriarch of a great family! 
The Crudo Family

Our sincerest condolences and our thoughts and prayers are with your family at this time.

--The Abisaleh family

OBITUARY

Mrs. Maria Augello

October 10, 1921 – March 11, 2015

Kane-Jerrett Funeral Homes

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