Damian Vella Obituary
This obituary was originally published in the Star Tribune.
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Susanne Vella
March 28, 2008
Eulogy of Damian
January 8, 1968 – March 28, 2007
Delivered on April 3, 2007
As I began to compile this tribute to my brother, it became obvious that any words that I could share with you today cannot express the love that we all hold in our hearts for this extraordinary man named Damian. The words that I share today can, in no way, celebrate him as he deserves to be celebrated. I realized that this is an occasion when an open mic and much more time would be one way to at least begin to recognize the beauty and importance of Damian’s life, and that would be just the beginning. That is not the custom in this setting. Our desire was to have a simple gathering after the service so that we could continue our celebration of his life. The church hall was not available, and we did not have the energy to pursue other options. With that, I encourage you to continue the celebration of Damian’s life long after we depart today. As we shared memories, compiled collages, and read letters, cards and messages that began to arrive immediately after Damian’s passing, it was obvious that he touched so many people so deeply. I thank all of you for loving Damian, for being here today, and for sharing this celebration of his life. What I will share with you today is a small collection of thoughts and memories, gathered over a lifetime, and recently recalled by many who love him.
My first recollection of Damian stretches back to when he was nestled in my mother’s womb. Mamma was standing at the stove in what was called back then a “shift”, red, white and blue. It was a warm day, probably late spring/early summer. Daddy had just gotten in from a hard days work. I cannot recall the words of the conversation but Mamma was telling Daddy that she was in fact expecting another baby. Daddy responded to the news with a kiss, a loving embrace and the words...That’s Beautiful. So it was that Damian, my parents 9th child, was anticipated with great joy and love. Perhaps it was this early on, that the seed for his phenomenal gift of cooking was planted.
You may wonder about the name Damian. Our Damian - D A M I A N - was named long before Damien D A M I E N of the Omen came to be. Our neighbor, Mrs.Anderson, who lived to over 90 years old, asked Mamma if she could name her 9th child. Sadly, Mrs. Anderson had given birth to 2 children that she buried in infancy. So it was that my mothers 9th child would be named Damian. We, his siblings, the younger ones in particular, thought it to be an unusual name and wondered why it couldn’t be Thomas or Anthony. However, it did not take us long to realize that the name Damian was very fitting for our very unique brother. As we came to know Damian, we grew to love his name and recognized how perfect it was for his uniqueness. Perhaps it was from Mrs. Anderson that he not only got his name but his extraordinary gift to garden. As a little boy, he would quietly enter her yard, surprise her with a tap on the shoulder, and spend his time in the haven of her garden, which was a little piece of Heaven here on earth. While the rest of my brothers were forever losing baseballs, basketballs and footballs in her yard, Damian was Mrs. Anderson’s little helpmate, developing an appreciation for the beauty in nature. As an adult, Damian transformed his yard on Fremont to a garden that was featured on a Minneapolis walking garden tour. His garden was his haven from a loud, busy and often cruel world. He was the supplier of fresh flowers for his work place from early spring to late fall. One of my mother’s last memories of him, less than two days before his death, was watching him begin to toil in the garden of his new home, and sharing his vision for what would be his little piece of paradise on earth.
Shortly after Damian’s birth, much to Mamma’s dismay, Daddy brought home a new puppy. So it was that Mamma had a Golden Retriever puppy and Damian under foot. Perhaps it was this early on, that the seed was planted for Damian’s compassion for animals. At one time, Damian had two cats, two dogs, and two birds. Damian rescued his cat Duke from the streets, starving and undeveloped. At home, without a vet, he tenderly nursed Duke back to health. Almost 19 years later, Duke, although aging, was a very important part of his life.
At some point, he decided to buy Serena, his black Pomeranian. He then decided to buy Sebastian, his golden Pomeranian. The birds came some where in between all of this. Over the years, Damian rescued other pets from homelessness, much to Duke’s dismay, who promptly displayed his jealously when these little orphans were brought home by Damian. His rescues included stray cats and even a hamster that was running loose on the bus. Damian placed him in his pocket and his plan was to let him go when he got off the bus, but instead took him home and promptly purchased all of the supplies he needed to care for the hamster. The amazing thing is that when you walked into his home, you would not know that pets lived there. He was fastidious and impeccable about his home, his surroundings and his pets. I know that you are all familiar with the expression,” it’s a dog’s life”. Well, whenever we heard that, our response was always, “but if your Damian’s dog, a dog’s life is a good life”.
Damian was a scholar. He was one of the first products of an educational experiment called “open education”. While this method of teaching resulted for many in low test scores, for Damian, it provided the freedom to excel in those things he enjoyed, and to explore and display his many gifts of talent. I was surprised when he told me very recently that open education was blamed for low test scores. His intelligence, giftedness and many talents allowed him to attend Rufus King High School where he was a student in the inter-baccalaureate program, learning in high school those things that I did not learn until I was in college. Damian excelled particularly in languages, studying as many as four languages at one time. His excellence in Spanish almost caused him to miss out on placing first in a state competition. The reason: “It wouldn’t be fair to give such an award to a native speaker”. Once it was clarified that he was not a native speaker, the award was appropriately given to him. His gift with languages was also displayed in his many comedic and dramatic acts featuring characters from places near and far: the old Jewish couple from New York (he played both parts), the Indian store owner, our Zia Rosa, the “alarm clock lady” in my father’s hometown of S’Elia, characters he’d meet on the bus and his many clients, just to name a few.
In February, Damian, Rose Mary and I traveled to Florida together to celebrate Rose Mary’s birthday with Nina. I will say that we laughed so hard all week long that our stomachs hurt and well, I’m not supposed to say this, but one of us even, well, you all know what happens sometimes when you laugh too hard.
Damian spent a lot of his childhood in the household of his lifelong friend, Sheila Bush, her brother Michael, and her mother Floretta. As I talked with Sheila, she recounted story after story about their childhood - full of mischief and fun. They were naughty. She described it as always getting into weird little scrapes with Damian. She spoke of the time when she and Damian dressed up as old people. No, it was not Halloween. They proceeded to hobble across a busy intersection. As drivers became impatient, Damian encouraged her to continue to “walk slow and when we get to the corner, let’s kick up our heels and run”. They did just that. Car horns began to honk. Drivers got out of their cars, with smiles on their faces, wondering if Damian and Sheila were part of the Shorewood Drama Club. She spoke of the time Damian and our entire household, me, Paul, Anthony, Andrea and Teresa, were afflicted with chicken pox. Sheila, not knowing this, came to our home and discovered, with horror, that we all were completely covered in chicken pox. She had never had them and quickly knew she should leave. Damian, knowing her route home from school, would wait for her every day at the window, and as she came by he would run out of the house and attempt to chase her down so that he could share his chicken pox with her. Floretta was a Martha Stewart before her time, an avid gardener, cook, remodeler, entrepreneur, and above all, a free spirit. She was forever throwing dinner parties and Damian often had a role in these unique and festive occasions, playing the butler at the “How to Host a Murder” party, and cleaning shrimp with Sheila and Michael for a dollar a piece as Floretta prepared for yet another soiree. I can’t help but think that Damian picked up some of his flair for entertaining, and his skill with remodeling from these times spent with Floretta and her family.
In adult life, Damian became a close friend to Floretta, providing her, Michael and Sheila with the love they needed as Floretta struggled with and eventually died from cancer. Floretta considered Damian her other son, her little Italian boy, and one time, seeing him emerge from the bathroom with a towel around his waist, she asked, “Damian, are you living here now?” He said, “Yea, Flo, I am”. Sheila has experienced much loss in her life. When expressing her devastation about the passing of Damian to a friend, the friend said, “You have experienced so much loss. You will be back to your routine in no time”. Sheila’s response:
“Damian is my routine. He is like a brother but so much more. He has been in my life all of my life and grew up as part of our family. He knows everything about me and everything about my family. He was exceedingly loyal, he was always on my side, we were each other’s confidantes, he made me comfortable. We finished each other’s sentences, and when he stepped on my foot, he was the one to say ouch. He liked protocol and rules and hated rudeness and incompetence. He wasn’t afraid to speak his mind - his nickname was rant and mine was rave. He would page me at bars and say this is rant calling for rave and I would hear the page for Rave and know that it was Damian. He made me laugh. Recently, I had 3 dates in one day – Damian’s response to that - you big tramp. That is the kind of relationship we had. We held hands all the time and I can still feel him holding my hand.”
Damian’s flair for fashion was noticed very early on. As our baby brother, he didn’t tolerate, but enjoyed our doting over him, styling his hair and dressing him in fashions from our closet and Mamma’s closet. Before long, he was styling our hair, French braids and updos. I recall the time Damian, probably an early teen, came home with his ear pierced, the first, and to this day, my only brother with a pierced ear. Damian didn’t think to adorn his ear with a diamond stud or small hoop; rather he adorned his ear with what my father would later refer to as a “fish lure”. Mamma screamed to him that he better get that thing out of his ear before Daddy came home. She insisted the he remove it. He raced upstairs to me and said “Hurry up and put this back in my ear. I don’t want the hole to close”.
The fashionista in Damian is easily seen in his impressive collection of vintage and retro clothing, and his own unique and impeccable way of dressing. One of his dreams was to open an upscale shop to display and sell the many valuable clothes and jewelry he had collected over the years. Damian not only knew how to get his “fashion on”, he always knew how to make us look good, too. Shopping with Damian was a joy. He would pull things off the rack that we would never imagine wearing ourselves, but he could see what we could not.
Shortly after graduating from high school, his independent nature prompted him to move to his own flat at the age of 17, with friends, working at various jobs to support himself including McDonalds, Palermo Villa, Bakers Square, selling cookies from a cookie cart and regularly throwing rent parties to cover expenses if expenses could not be met in the traditional way. Even this first home, he transformed into a haven of cleanliness, neatness and comfort. Although Damian was encouraged to attend college, knowing that he would be successful at anything he pursued, he had a different plan. He set his sites on attending Horst Institute in Minneapolis, where he completed his courses with flying colors to become a hair stylist. While he was in school, we were often his guinea pigs, experiencing our first perms with him. Recently, Damian said to me and Rose Mary, “Oh my God, what were we thinking perming your hair” as he struggled with the heat and the round brush, giving Rose Mary the “straight do” that she always requested. His first employment as a stylist was one of the prominent shops owned and operated by Horst himself. Damian promoted himself to renting space in a downtown shop. He most recently worked at Wave Salon, renting a chair, continuing to serve clients old and new. Damian was so much more than an accomplished hair stylist at Wave salon. He supported the owners, Tammy and Will, in their endeavor to create an upscale shop providing a pampering, esteeming experience to all who came for services. He shared his business savvy, contributing to the shop design, polices and procedures, encouraging an environment of excellence and class.
Damian often had requests to do the hair for entire wedding parties, and on occasion, even traveled to various locations to do this. Always, his work was exceptional. But I do want to share one story from my niece Andrea.
“Damian was my wedding day hair stylist. I did not realize how long it would take for him to create the elaborate updo I had requested, although we had experimented and successfully created it before this day. As I became antsy, so did Damian. As the time passed, our nervousness escalated. In the process of curling my hair with the hot iron, Damian asked me to “just hold it for a minute” while he took a little coffee and cigarette break. I said Damian, it’s getting hot. He told me to quit whining. I said, Damian, I smell it burning. He said, oh no its not. At this moment, I looked up in the mirror to see the smoke coming from my head. Thankfully, his skill made it easy for him to cover the damage and the little scar that I have had ever since”.
Damian was an adored uncle and great uncle, caring and giving in every way. When my niece Teresa headed up for Minneapolis shortly after graduating from high school, her mother Mary knew that she would be in good hands with Damian. Although she did not want to see her baby leave home, she knew that Damian would be sure she found a good place to live, that he would teach her about life in Minneapolis, and would provide generously for any need that she may have. As the years passed, and Teresa gave birth to Isabella, Damian was right there for her, taking care of Isabella, nurturing her and filling in the gap for those of us who could not be there. In recent years, he was able to share his giftedness with his great nieces and nephews. He kept them all dressed in the finest of clothes, and was the one to be counted on to purchase those special occasion outfits, and those things that were often too expensive for parents to buy, most recently Giulianna’s cheetah print coat. His distance did not keep him from knowing and loving them, and they him. He called on their birthdays and always bought the perfect gifts for every occasion. He did that with all of us, meticulously decorating already beautiful greeting cards, and wrapping gifts so beautifully we often would want to keep them wrapped.
Great Uncle Damian was the perfect hairdresser in Nino’s eyes. One day he said to me, “When Damian cuts my hair, I will be so handsome”. I said, “You are already very handsome”. He said, as a matter of fact, “Well, when Damian cuts my hair, I will be even more handsome”. Isabella, age 7, discussed Damian’s passing with her long time care giver and our good family friend Anna Marie, who was assuring her that Damian was with Jesus, and with his father, his brothers Joe and Fred and his grandparents. Isabella said, “Yes, but you know Anna Marie, I don’t know who’s going to cut my hair now”. And as she pointed her finger, she said, “and he was a very, very good cook”.
Damian was no stranger to the party life. Many stories were shared about his “partying” days, most of which, well I won’t share here. He enjoyed socializing and was always up for a good party, as long as it was classy. Clubbing with Damian was always a treat. Not only was he the most debonair man in the club, but as Rose Mary best described it, his dancing skills transformed his partner into the perfect dancer. She said, “Damian always made me look good on the floor”. As he mellowed, Damian enjoyed classy parties, elaborate dinners at home, meals in the haven of his garden, and entertaining us on our many visits to Minneapolis. He had the gift for hospitality, and as Nina described, “he was the most gracious of hosts”. Our many trips to Minneapolis allowed us to experience all of Damian’s gift in action. His gift of hospitality - he cooked fabulous meals that would rival the meals of some of the world’s best chefs. His well appointed, clean home, full of the beauty in which he surrounded himself, included guest bedrooms that rivaled the finest hotels, and were spotless. He graciously received us at his shop, after working a full day, and spent hours with us, transforming the little raga muffins that arrived from Milwaukee into characters fit for the movie screen. He served us as he would serve his best customers. His colleagues can attest to that. Our visits included listening to music from his eclectic music collection, watching foreign films that were not known to most, and staged fashion shows using his vintage clothing and jewelry, and his flair for exotic hair styles. Song and dance competitions that had us rolling with laughter were not uncommon.
Damian was many things but most importantly he was a cherished son. While a teenager, Damian and Daddy had quite a stormy relationship, but as Damian grew into a man, he cherished his time spent with my father and my father with him. My father was so proud of the man that his son had become. Damian and Mamma have a special relationship. They talked regularly and visited often. My mother’s visits to Damian always included big time cooking, a lot of pampering, and a lot of relaxation. Damian cultivated his cooking skills in my mother’s kitchen, and although Mamma is a fabulous cook, she claims that Damian is even a better cook than she. With Damian, Mamma had time to read books and magazines, watch good movies, go out to dinner and even concerts and plays. Damian always styled her hair and made sure that she was pampered with pedicures, manicures, eyebrow waxing, facials, shopping trips. She was his special girl and he her special boy. Damian gave Mamma, the consummate care giver, an opportunity to experience being cared for.
In life, Damian was a lover of all things beautiful. He had an eye for beauty and an ability to see beauty where beauty was not and to make those things beautiful that were not. His homes, his gardens, his meals, his customers, his words, his gifts, his writings, are a reflection of his gift of creativity and his keen sense of beauty. This beauty is something that lived in his heart, and that he shared with everyone he touched. As I talked with our dear family friend Minerva about Damian, she said:
“We all carry different types of attributes and gifts from the Lord and Damian’s were many. His most powerful gift, the beauty about Damian, was that he was not bound nor defined by gender, and there is perfection in that wholeness”.
In closing, as Peter and I searched for a place to lay Damian to rest, we struggled with the fact that we did not want him to be buried alone. It was our family’s desire to have him close to either my brother Fred, or close to the spot where Daddy and my brother Joe have been laid to rest, the same place where my mother will be laid to rest.
We were told that it would be very unlikely to place him there - there was just no room. As we searched for other spots, nothing felt right or seemed good enough for our Damian. We asked them to check again to see about the possibility of laying him to rest with Daddy and Joe. We went to the site and, as God would have it, there was one spot left, at my mother’s feet. How fitting that in death, Damian will lay to rest at the feet of my mother, the one that he loved and adored most.
As we remember and celebrate Damian, let us not dwell on trying to make sense out of the way he died, but on how he lived and how he blessed each of us that had the opportunity to know him and love him. Let us be assured that he is "within Heaven's gates", that he is at peace, in God’s hands, enjoying eternal life, and that we will one day see each other again.
To My Mother: You, like Job, have experienced great loss, but like Job all will be restored to you. God loves you and knows that your faith will carry you through. Although your heart is physically weak, your spirit is strong. It is from you that we get our strength.
Nina Vella-Markley
January 8, 2008
Happy Birthday, brother! We all miss you and love you so much.
Elizabeth Smithmeyer
July 28, 2007
Damian styled my hair for the last 12 years, and my mother's hair for almost as long. Both of us live overseas and every year we would wait anxiously to get home and have Damian style our hair. We wouldn't let anyone else do our hair. He was that good. He was also our friend and we are so sad to have come home this year to find out that he had passed away. His enthusiasm and flair for the dramatic made him so much fun to be around. He will be missed.
Lora Stone-Quezada
May 2, 2007
Damian was the smartest and most adorable boy in school-he was my "first kiss". Fourth-sixth grade at Maryland Ave will always be my best and most vivid memories of childhood. Damian was always there as our best friend. He was a leader and the center of my life in elementary school. I have beautiful memories of him, along with Sheila and Dawn in Milwaukee that I will cherish. Thank you friends for keeping me in touch.
He always had a pure heart and his soul will be close to God.
My prayers are with his friends and family.
I will leave you with this prayer for Damian:
O my God! O Thou forgiver of sins, bestower of gifts, dispeller of afflictions! Verily, I beseech Thee to forgive the sins of such as have abandoned the physical garment and have ascended to the spiritual world. Oh my Lord! Purify them from trespasses, dispel their sorrows, and change their darkness into light. Cause them to enter the garden of happiness, cleanse them with the most pure water, and grant them to behold Thy splendors on the loftiest mount.
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Mark Worthington
April 30, 2007
Damian changed my preconception that it’s probably not a good thing when you ask a girl on a date and she brings her best friend along. In this case, Sheila was the girl and Damian her best friend. Who knows what elaborate scheme the two of them had planned in case our date didn’t work out? In any event, from that very first meeting with Damian, it was clear to me that he was one of those rare people whose presence in any crowd raises the average. I felt privileged by his company, a sense that never waned over the twenty or more years I knew him. Though later we lived in different cities, the choreography of time recurrently brought the three of us together, always too briefly, but always with the anticipation: “Oh, good, Damian’s coming!” Beautifully dressed, though never in a way that appeared stylized, he was equally as effortless with his quick wit. I wish I could remember each and every one of his remarks that were usually muttered in confidence, but time leaves us only with impressions. I do remember seeing him at Joe Eisman’s party last summer for the first time in four or five years, and when he probably sensed that my greeting would get too close to a cliché about time passing so quickly, which might then lead to talk of graying hair, he cut me off at the pass with, “Well… we still look good!” I appreciated the inclusive we, and was reminded again about his casual kind-heartedness, the way such comments could seem both warming and co-conspiratorial.
To the Vella family and all Damian’s friends: I share with you your grief at having lost this very bright light. Damian, we will miss you.
Mark Worthington
Dawn Rubin
April 22, 2007
I met Damian Vella in 1975, when I transferred to Maryland Avenue School. Damian was in first grade, and I was in second. We became friends right away. Because of his brilliance, he skipped a grade, and we were always in the same class together throughout elementary school. We were also quite inseparable outside of school. I have so many memories of spending time with Damian on Milwaukee’s East Side. We then went to the same high school, and we attended our 10 year reunion together. Damian gave me a lovely up-do for the event! Even though in recent years we only kept in touch through Christmas cards and the occasional email, I still loved him dearly and considered him to be one of my best friends. One of those friends that, regardless of how much time had passed, you could still get together for a cup of tea and pick up where you left off. He was always a beautiful person, inside and out. So smart. So creative. So sensitive. A natural. I miss him, and I will always love him. My heart goes out to his family and other loved ones.
Janet
April 20, 2007
I have been a client at The Wave Salon. I always have a good experience when I visit there. Mara Mirkin cuts my hair. As I sat in my chair, I always enjoyed watching Damian. He was always busy in his work. Whether he sweeping up, tidying up, or working with a client, I enjoyed watching him work. He always seemed happy in what he was doing. I was never formally introduced to him, but I felt we knew one another. He always had a smile for me. He was a big spirit in the salon and gave the place personality. Yesterday I had my hair cut. Damian was missing. It was noticeable that a spark was gone. He truly had a fine spirit, one that's very memorable for me. I am sorry for your loss. Know that Damian was a bright spot for me every time I went to the Wave.
Naomi Stock
April 18, 2007
To the family: My deepest sympathies go out to you in this very difficult time. I have been a client of Damian’s for the past 12 years. After the birth of my 3rd child in Nov 2005 I didn’t get a haircut for 15 months. Then one day I couldn’t take it anymore and I went to one of those mall haircutting places…needless to say I quickly made an appointment with my Damian. He did his magic and I left the salon not only feeling 100% better, but with a scheduled appointment for my next haircut. We didn’t get to see each other again, but Damian will always be in my thoughts every time I get my hair done. Thank you Damian for making feel beautiful!!!! Love your friend, Naomi
Molly Peterson
April 12, 2007
I would like to express my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Damian. I knew Damian many years ago when we both worked at Horst together. He was always so kind and funny. Even though it's been years since I spoke to him I still think of him and am greatly saddened at the loss of his humor and graciousness.
Jo Rydeen
April 12, 2007
I will never forget Damian and the time I spent in his chair. I was a client for many years. I regret that I had not seen him for over a year, after I moved out of Uptown. He will be so missed! He was a very special man and so very talented. My prayers go out to the Vella family.
April 11, 2007
Over the past several years, I frequently heard Sheila laughing so happily while she was talking to her dear friend Damian on the phone. She often spoke about her deep love for him and their many adventures together.
Finally last July - I met him - he came to NYC to visit Sheila for her birthday. Damian and I walked to the grocery store to pick up some last minute items for the party. I drove Damian batty - me not being able to decide whether to buy this box of crackers or that platter of nuts - but he was very funny and made me laugh about my indecisiveness. Another night, he made us laugh hysterically again when he, Sheila and I got stuck in a taxi behind a garbage truck in Little Italy. It didn't seem to matter the circumstances, he made them more fun.
I found Damian to be every bit as lovable, warm, interesting, and funny a spirit as Sheila said he was. I feel lucky that he came into my life - briefly - but with strong impact, and I truly regret that I wont have a chance to get to know him more through the years.
I met Damian's amazing family on the sad occasion of his funeral, and clearly saw traits of Damian in his mother, sisters and brothers. I hope they can find some comfort in the knowledge that he lives on in them and in all our wonderful memories of him.
Damian made so many people laugh and smile. He was well-loved and his absence brings many tears.
Damian is greatly missed. I am confident that Damian will continue to positively inspire the many lives he touched, beautified and filled with laughter and joy.
With deep sympathy and love for the Vellas, Sheila, and Damian's many other friends,
Benjy
Susan Hawkins
April 9, 2007
Damian was a vibrant, talented, lively and wonderful soul with a sense of beauty and empathy. It is with sympathy for his family, coworkers, friends, and past significant friend, that I say he is and will be sorely missed. I am so sorry for his pain and our loss.
Jay Murray
April 6, 2007
To the Vella family:
Damian was a dear friend back in the days of Maryland Ave. School. He was such a sweet, caring and very bright individual. I always looked up to him for these qualities of which were unique to possess at the age we were. Even though I have not had the pleasure to keep contact with Damian since the 8th grade, I still think about his friendship and what it will always mean to me. God rest your soul, Damian. You are now truly an angel!
Oscar Cervera
April 5, 2007
I met Damian at RFK. I wasn't quiet sure he cared for me at first. I persisted and we became better friends after he graduated. He took me under his wing, fed me and gave me a place to crash when I needed. I followed him to minneapolis. We cleaned offices together at night to pay for school. We would elude managers in janitors closets with Jamie Ponto. He finished school and moved forward with his career. I left and we lost touch. I was just thinking about him and googled him only to find this out. In my minds eye he will always be beautiful and young forever with an amazing head of curly hair. You will be missed my friend. I'm glad you let me get to know you. If it wasn't for you I'm not sure where I would be now. You really helped me out when I needed a friend. I'm eternally grateful. I feel lucky to have know you. My condolences to the Vella Family, Sheila and those closest to him. He was worth knowing.
Oscar
Kari Mahaffey
April 4, 2007
I first met Damian in 1989 when I moved to Minneapolis. He quickly became a good friend and confidante. Later on, I talked him into driving to South Dakota to do my hair for my wedding in 1999! He was always up for new experiences. I will miss his humor, warmth and friendship. Rest in peace.
Raquel Counihan
April 4, 2007
I was a client of Damian's for a little less than 2 years, and only with his death realize how much he touched my heart. I trusted him completely with my hair and looked forward to my appointments as I never had with another stylist. Although I didn't know him as well as some of the others in this guestbook, I considered him a friend and am so saddened not only by his death but by knowledge of how much pain he must have been feeling. Damian, I hope you have found peace. And to the Vella family, my thoughts and prayers have been with you during this very difficult time.
Terry Peterson
April 4, 2007
WITH LOVE AND RESPECT. SORRY FOR THE LOSS. THE PETERSON FAMILY.
Melissa & Peter Kotsakis
April 3, 2007
Dear Nina, Mrs. Vella and family, We were so sorry to hear of your loss. Our thoughts are with you at this time of sorrow.
Michelle Johnson
April 3, 2007
I have had the good fortune of calling Damian a friend for the past 8 years. His bright smile and sassy attitude is something I will miss every day. To no longer have him on this earth with us is truly a loss and I pray he knows how genuinely adored and loved he was by all who knew him. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and everyone whose lives he touched.
Joan Hershbell
April 3, 2007
Dear Mrs. Vella,
My heart is breaking for you and your family. Damian was my stylist and friend fro more than 15 years. I cannot imagine how I will miss him. My prayers are with you.
Joan Hershbell
Rebecca Herbst
April 3, 2007
To Damian's family and friends,
I have been a client of Damian's for six years and always looked forward to my time with him as I knew I would leave not only looking fabulous, but feeling fabulous too. He was so sweet and caring towards others. While I will miss his wisdom, humor and home repair advice, I hope that he has found the peace he was not able to find here on earth.
Trish Burger
April 3, 2007
To my hairdresser and more importantly my friend...I love you and will miss you greatly. I will remember you always with a smile in my heart.
To Damian's family, my deepest sympaties to you. Damian and I have been friends for 20 years and I always loved his stories about his big loving Italian family. My family even had the pleasure of meeting and dining at his brother's Milwaukee restaurant. Find comfort in one another and all the joyous memories of Damian.
Kim and Joe Miller
April 3, 2007
My son and I have been Damian's clients and friends for many years. Damian had a gift of helping us feel cared for and we always left "his chair" feeling better than when we sat down. Please accept our sympathy and comfort during your time of grief.
Joe Galioto
April 3, 2007
Dear Cousin Rose & Family
We are so sorry to hear of the death of Damian. Our thoughts & prayers are with you.May you know that you are not alone at this difficult time,And may you feel the sympathy & friendship of those who share your loss
Love Cousin Joe & Kathy Galioto
Pete Rathkamp
April 3, 2007
My deepest sympathies to Damian's family and friends. I have very fond memories of growing up with Damian and knowing his family as neighbors on the East Side. I know he will be missed and that our lives have been blessed for having known him.
Craig Hickman
April 3, 2007
Good night, sweet prince.
Love,
Your high-school running buddy
Tom Rathkamp
April 2, 2007
My memories of Damian while we were all growing up on the east side of Milwaukee, are those of a caring, funny, sensitive young man. My deepest sympathies to the Vella family, and to those who were closest to him, both in Minnesota and here back in Wisconsin. May God bless you all.
lori messner
April 2, 2007
I spent more time talking to Damien in the salon chair than I have found time for my close friends...which, I guess, also means I call Damien a good friend too. I trusted him, we each took time to listen to each other's subject-matters-of-the day, and he always had wisdom beyond his years. He spoke of his family almost every time we were together...his stories of the villa in Italy...I can just imagine him there. It has been my honor to have known Damien. God bless.
Lori Messner, client 12 years +
Lisa Carini Turecek
April 2, 2007
Mrs. Vella, Anthony, Nina and family,
I am so sorry to hear about Damian. I remember being 13 yrs old and talking to him on the phone when I would call to bug Anthony. I think I both annoyed & amused him at the same time.
I am thinking about you all at this time of loss.
Kevin Spaise
April 2, 2007
Danians bright and very shiny light will be deeply missed on this Earth. He had many qualities you don't find very often in a person and the amount of hearts that will grieve are vast. He has definately left his mark here and his spirit will live within all of us who have so many memories to keep hold of.
Joe Ewert
April 2, 2007
To Joe and the Vella Family,
My prayers are with you at this time. May you find peacee in the fond memories you have of Damian. God Bless You!
Socorro Gonzales
April 2, 2007
May the comfort of God be your sorce of peace. Please know our deepest thoughts and prayers are with you during this time.
Sally Sales
April 2, 2007
I have been a loyal client of Damian's for over 12 years. He was someone who always went out of his way to make his clients feel good. I am so terribly sad that he is gone. My thoughts are with his family, coworkers, friends and pets. He will be so very missed. I hope he has found peace.
Jessica
April 2, 2007
Dear Damian's Family,
You are all in my thoughts and prayers. He was one of the few people I have known since I first moved here six years ago and I will miss him dearly. He was a great person and a great friend. My heart goes out to you during this difficult time.
Jocelyn Stein
April 2, 2007
It is very hard to put into words how sorry I am for the loss on this earth of Damian, especially to his family, friends and coworkers. He touched many lives. Damian is a beautiful soul who is artistically gifted and I feel fortunate to have known him.
Freddie Weisberg
April 1, 2007
To Damian's family and friends,
Please accept my sincere and deep sympathy for your loss. I was a long time client of Damian's, and over the years have appreciated his talent, his ready smile, his wonderful sense of humor and his gentle way.
I know that the memories of Damian will be a blessing to all who knew him and loved him. He will be greatly missed.
A client for 6 years
April 1, 2007
May God provide you strength and grace during these times of mourning. Damian was an exceptional man and I am glad to have known him. It is with deepest regrets that we can not give back to you the same gifts Damian granted to us.
Minerva Gonzales
April 1, 2007
May God send His comforter to grant you peace during this time.
To Damian, adios mi amigo, vaya con Dios.
Janelle and Adrian Dennis
April 1, 2007
Our thoughts and prayers are with Damian's family, friends and beloved colleagues. His beautiful smile and loving way will leave a lasting imprint on our hearts.
Alison Smith
April 1, 2007
I have been a client and a friend of Damian's for nearly 20 years. Damian and I talked of many things through the years. We shared our highs and lows and most of the time found laughter in it all. I will miss Damian beyond words as I am sure you will as well. My thoughts are prayers are with you during this very difficult time.
Chandra Torgerson Rhonda Battleson
April 1, 2007
To Damian's Family and Many Friends, we are with you today and over the many next days, weeks and years in mourning the loss of Damian. He was a great human being, he loved what he did and he touched many lives. We'll miss you dearly Damian.... big long HUG TO YOU.
Janet Weisberg
April 1, 2007
I have been a client of Damian's for 6 years. I trusted him implicitly and realize now how little I knew of his pain. I hope his soul finds a peaceful place to rest. He will always be in my thoughts. Condolences to his family and all those who loved him.
Mary and Brendhan (Baumann) Wagner
April 1, 2007
Dearest Vella Family,
We are sharing in your grief.We will miss wonderful Damien always.
Julia Gauthier
April 1, 2007
I have been a dedicated client of Damian's for 10 years. It has always been a bright spot in my week to know I would see him. He shared a truly special gift with all who knew him and he will be forever missed.
Penny Meier
April 1, 2007
The loss of someone who has been a special part of our lives is very difficult. My daughter and I share your grief. I can't even begin to describe how wonderful and caring he has been to us. Please accept our deepest sympathy.
Thomas Galioto
April 1, 2007
Dear Cousins;
Sorry to hear of the death of Damian. Our prayers and thoughts are with you all. Sorry that we cannot be there with you in your time of sorrow. May the good lord give you peace and strength at this time.
Thomas & Joan Galioto
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