Queen of Heaven

Today, we brought my grandfather to his final resting place.

My father delivered the eulogy at the funeral. Afterwards, the priest came up to him and told him that it was one of the best eulogies he had ever heard in his life. It really touched me and I wanted to share it with you all so you could understand what kind of a man my grandfather was.

Dad's eulogy:

"Thank you for the love, comfort, and prayers you have chosen to give my family through these painful times. Words cannot describe our sincere appreciation.

Today, all of us here are sharing something in common: pain and sorrow for the loss of my father, Carlo. In the 74 years of his life, he has touched our lives in many astonishing ways.

God will call each and every one of us, one by one, and on the morning of December 23rd, God called for him. God must have needed some help with canaries and decided to call the expert. His passing has left all of us in mourning. Our hearts will never mend from this loss.

Born and raised in Bagheria, Sicily, my father migrated his family to Chicago in 1967 on a quest to provide a better living for his family. What courage! In 1969, my parents decided that Chicago was to be their home and had their fourth child here -- my brother, Peter. My dad's floor plan in life was now complete, and it was time to start building. With very little education, he had to commit to hard work and hard work he did. As a child, I recall not seeing my father for days as he left for work before I awoke and came home after I was asleep.

With his two hands, courage, and will, he formed a masonry company in 1979 and built many buildings throughout the Chicagoland area. His mark is left on each and every brick, block, and stone he laid and will remind us of him every time we see his work.

Once retired, he decided to pursue his lifelong passion of raising canaries. His love for birds made him one of the top breeders and exhibiters in the nation, winning many awards through the years. His trophies, plaques, and ribbons could fill an entire house. A true champion!

My father also had another passion: his garden. Producing the best vegetables around and would always make certain to grow plenty so he could share with family and friends. He had a natural green thumb. We now have to rely on Caputo's for our vegetables. Our vegetables will never be the same.

I will always remember my father as a courageous, hard working, loving, and kind man who guided all of us through life. He was and will always be my hero.

Dad,

You never said "I'm leaving"
You never said "goodbye"
You were gone before I knew it,
And only God knew why.

There are no words to tell you
Just what I feel inside
The shock, the hurt, the anger
Might gradually subside

A million times I'll need you
A million times I'll cry
If love alone could have saved you
You never would have died

In life I loved you dearly
In death I love you still
In my heart you hold a place
That no one could ever fill

We will miss you, Dad!

God bless you all."