Lena Vacchiano

Lena was born in 1932 in East New York on Sept 29 to Joseph and Theresa Naro. She was one of 4 children and had 3 brothers.  She met Alfonzo Vacchiano, at age 18, and, he was smitten. They married on February 21 in 1953 and she became a full time Mom quickly.  She made us a home, in the best sense of the word, first in Ozone Park, NY and then in Garden City. She was a mother, then a mother-in-law. Her 4 children (Lucille, Theresa, Diane and Alfred) gave her 9 grandchildren (Michael, Nicole, Tara, Thomas, Kerin, Andrew, Eric, Vincent and Nicholas) and 11 great grandchildren (Joseph, Gio, Alex, Luca, Anthony, Michael, Charlotte, Marco, Nico, Lena and Nicolette). She got the greatest joy from her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

This verse was created from the memories shared by her children and grandchildren over the few days following her death.  Collectively, we capture Lena's spirit.

She is who we are.

She's the bright smile that greets us at the door, the kiss goodnight and the "be careful" when we go out again.

She's the cool hand on our forehead and the hot cup of tea when we aren't feeling well.

She's the little white lie that gets us to bed early.

She is a birthday cake and candles, a small leather frog purse, and a perfectly wrapped Christmas present.

She is our fascination with birds and with fashion (especially animal print).

She is why we love the movies and the beach.

She is our sweet tooth – black and white cookies, ice cream for lunch, and chocolates – a little every day.

She is a visit to McDonalds, swimming at the Garden City pool, and a stolen second round of mini-golf at Eisenhower Park.

She is a car ride in the spacious back seat of the bimini beige Cadillac.

She is our champion at graduation and on the sidelines.

She is the reason we can make hospital corners, organize masterfully and clean like nobody's business.

She is why everything has a place.

And she is why we agree: tables are for glasses not for asses.

She is our intuition and compassion.

She feels our pain as deeply as we do.

She is wise advice just when we need it.

She is the spirit of a woman, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, and great grandmother - a lady, in the best sense of the word.

She is grace and the grace of god.

Nothing can separate us

She is who we are.