Emma J. Sorrentino

Emma J. Sorrentino October 25, 1933 ~ July 11, 2006 PACIFIC GROVE - Emma J. Sorrentino, 72, daughter of General Enrico Sorrentino and concert pianist Vincenzina Graf, passed away on July 11, 2006 at Community Hospital. She was surrounded by her three children who held her hands and kissed her to the last breath. She had fought a long war with cancer for 13 years and courageously won many battles. Although she was in a lot of pain for a long time, her faith in God and the life force that she was, inspired all those around her. She was a beacon of strength mingled with a kind and gentle spirit that nurtured all who came in contact with her, from family to friends to perfect strangers who would inevitably be beguiled by her stellar green eyes and her trustworthiness. She lived a life spanned over three continents. Born in Palermo, Sicily in 1933, she moved to Rome as a little girl after the war with her parents and five siblings. At 17 she married Italo Milani. Shortly after they moved to Cairo, Egypt where together they took over Italo's father's work at the Cairo Opera House and worked closely with talents such as Renata Scotto and Mario Del Monaco. After the birth of their first child, Umberto (1956), they moved back to Rome, Italy and both worked in the publishing business. There, their second child, Kadria, was born in 1963. In 1967 they moved to Paris, France where Emma pursued her Ph.D at the Sorbonne University and had her third child, Ala, in 1969. In 1978 Emma left Europe for Michigan with her three children and raised them as a single mom, sometimes holding three jobs. She moved to the Monterey Peninsula in 1981 and worked as a professor at the Defense Language Institute, where her students knew her as the little woman with the huge green eyes that taught with fervor and infinite patience, winning their hearts at every turn. She also taught at MPC and her dedication and passion for learning instilled in each student a sense of pride and fulfillment that made her dear to all. From all aspects of life, people were drawn to her uncanny ability to make everyone feel accepted, loved and cherished. Even the FBI agents to whom she taught Sicilian adopted her as a surrogate mom. She knew how to make even the most challenged student feel proud enough to want to learn in spite of all obstacles. She developed a textbook for teaching Italian at the DLI and received numerous awards for teaching excellence. She was fluent in four languages and always willing to lend a hand at the French language department when short of teachers. She transferred to the Spanish department in 1993 and taught there for ten years before retiring. One of her greatest passions was a thirst for knowledge in all fields; from art and history to ancient Greek and today's politics Ð second only to her all-encompassing love for her children and grandchildren. She could eloquently converse on any political or theological topic and even in the last days of her life, she would bring up historical events to illustrate their impact in today's events that impassioned her. She leaves behind many loves. The love of nature and of animals, the love of art and classical music, the love of books and the love of dolls, which reflected her young spirit. She also had great compassion for the sick, the hurt and the underdog. She leaves behind a family that loved and loves her beyond words. She leaves behind dear and cherished friends, whose lives and daily problems she took to heart. Her essence was unselfish, loving, strong, passionate, amazingly resilient, only surpassed by her tenderness. She leaves behind three children, Umberto Milani of San Diego, Kadria Catalano (Mario) of Sand City, Ala Milani-Enea (Mario) of Del Rey Oaks; three loves of her life, her granddaughters Ariana, Siena, and Sofia; and Joseph, a brief but wonderful parenthesis in her life. She was the most vivacious, playful and insightful grandmother one could ask for. She lived a life of integrity, whose sole purpose was the education and the happiness of her children and grandchildren, never hesitating to put their needs before her own at all times. She will be sorely missed and will always be remembered with love and tenderness by all. She is also survived by three sisters and one brother, all of Rome, Italy; many nieces and their children and by Yoyo, her affectionate dog of Pacific Grove, who is still waiting for her to come home. A Vigil will be held at St. Angela's Church in Pacific Grove on Sunday, July 16, 2006 at 7:30pm. A Funeral Mass will be held on Monday, July 17 at St. Angela's Church in Pacific Grove at 10am, followed by burial and then a celebration for her life at M.P.C.C. Beach House in Pebble Beach. Her dying wish was for any gift to be directed to the Emma Sorrentino Memorial Education Fund, First National Bank, 495 Washington Street, Monterey, CA 93940, acct. #0100042647.