San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Queena M. Maggiora
December 15, 1930 - December 5, 2020
Queena Domenici Maggiora joined the angels in heaven on Saturday, December 5, 2020, just 10 days shy of her 90th birthday. Queena was born in San Francisco on December 15, 1930 to Adelina and Pietro Domenici. She was named after the opera singer Queena Mario. Her father Pietro was passionate about opera, and her middle name came from the character “Mimi” of his favorite opera, Puccini’s “La Boheme”. She was considered a “miracle baby” since Adelina was told she could never have children. Queena’s brother Peter was born three years later and they both grew up in the Marina District of San Francisco. She attended Catholic elementary school and high school and subsequently graduated from the San Francisco Lone Mountain College for Women. She went on to become a teacher and was assigned to teach second grade at Sutro Elementary School in San Francisco. Several years later Queena married Joseph Maggiora. After becoming pregnant, she decided to give up her teaching position so she could stay at home and dedicate herself to her real passion, her family. Queena took great pride in her role as a homemaker and always kept an immaculately clean house. She also enjoyed volunteering at her children’s school and was a wonderful caregiver to her widowed father Pietro and her older cousin Fernanda. Her heart belonged especially to her three grandchildren, her nieces, and her nephews of whom she was very proud.
Queena had a deeply rooted faith which carried her through many challenges throughout her life. That faith forged a generous spirit and a keen awareness for the needs of people. Queena had an intuitive interest in the well- being of others. On any given day she could be found having coffee and offering an earnest ear to family, friends, contractors, gardeners, etc. Her favorite weekly adventure was to get her hair done at her cousin’s beauty salon in North Beach so she could catch up on the latest happenings of her friends and enjoy their company. Queena was also fiercely proud of being an Italian American and had a deep appreciation for our military and law enforcement. She captivated many with her feisty opinions, witty sense of humor, and beautiful smile!
A year and a half ago, Queena was diagnosed with ALS, a disease which deprived her of the gift she treasured most of all, her ability to speak and reach out to others. Still, her expressive sparkling eyes captivated many a staff member at Aegis of Corte Madera, her new home. Even to her last day, she still maintained the uncanny ability to connect with her caregivers, and in her quiet compassionate way, to offer solace.
Queena will be remembered as the image of grace, dignity, kindness, and compassion. Her precious spirit will be sorely missed, but her legacy lives on in the hearts of the many whose lives she touched, most especially her daughters Desiree and Michelle ( Craig), and her grandchildren John- Robert, Joey, and Sophia.
The Maggiora family would like to express its deepest gratitude for the private caregivers and the many staff members at Aegis of Corte Madera for the exceptional care and loving company they provided to Queena over the past several years. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests that donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or to an ALS charity of your choice.