Ada Elia Passanisi

December 30, 1920 September 7, 2017

Beloved wife of Vincent August Passanisi (deceased); devoted mother to Margaret P. Passanisi (deceased); Carmel S. Passanisi, and Dominic P. Passanisi (Sue); grandmother to Sebastian (Jacqueline) and Maura Passanisi; great grandmother to Levi, Ezra and Saul Passanisi, Ada Elia Passanisi died on September 7, 2017, in her residence in Belmont at the age of 96, having lived a long, full life.

Ada was born in Lucca, Lammari, Tuscany, Italy, the youngest of six children born to Sebastiano and Margherita Martini. She left Italy and came to California at age 18, before WWII, temporarily living with a sister and her husband in San Francisco. It was there that she met her future husband, Vincent August Passanisi, at an Italian Social Club dance. They were married in San Francisco at Saints Peter and Paul Church and enjoyed life together for 67 years.

Ada grew up on a farm outside Lucca, Italy, where she enjoyed growing plants, fruits, etc., and had quite a green thumb. It was there that she learned her culinary skills from her mother, Margherita Martini, and became an accomplished cook. Of course farming is physically demanding and taught her perseverance; working hard for what she wanted, and the value of owning land.

Ada worked for a number of San Francisco companies in the first part of her working life, primarily in retail. After retiring from her first career, she began a second career as a real estate agent and investment broker. Ada was always a very astute businesswoman. She enjoyed traveling with Vincent and friends. She and Vincent both took up golf as they neared retirement and played into their late years. She loved her family, especially her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

The Viewing / Rosary will be held on Thursday evening, September 14, 2017, from 6:00 pm. to approximately 7:30 pm., at Crosby-N. Gray Funeral Home, 2 Park Road, Burlingame, CA 94010. The funeral mass will be held on Friday, September 15, 2017, at 11:00 am. at St. Bartholomews’ Church, 600 Columbia Drive, San Mateo, CA 94402. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Saint Anthony Foundation: by phone (1-415-2412600) or online at https:// www.stanthonysf.org, in Ada Passanisi’s name.