PAULINE RIELA SIMONETTI

SIMONETTI, PAULINE RIELA, Pauline Riela Simonetti, passed away peacefully at home in Vestavia on Saturday August 28, 2010. Born in Palermo, Sicily she was the oldest of 12 children and resided in New York until she married Joseph Frank Simonetti Sr. They lived in Birmingham 25 wonderful years until his death in 1977. With their three children she remained in Birmingham for the past 58 years. She is preceded in death by her parents Joseph and Gertrude Riela, and brothers, Benjamin and James Riela. She is survived by her three children, D.J. Simonetti (Karen), Concetta Givianpour (Charles), Joseph Simonetti, Jr. (Janet); her seven grandchildren, Nicholas Simonetti of St Louis, Cyrus, Cameron and Natalie Givianpour, Joseph III, Paula and Jeffrey Simonetti, all of Birmingham; and her eight sisters Carolyn Nestola, Angelina DiMicco, Vivian Cento, Betty Casano, Frances Mannarino, Beatrice Laudati, Rose Vissicchio and Gloria Dattoma and her brother Sam Riela, all of New York. Pauline was a photographer and owner of Roma Fulton Studio in New York. After moving to Birmingham she continued her love of photography, especially weddings, until her death. If you knew her, she more than likely has taken your picture. She was a member of the Heart Guild of Birmingham, Ballet Women's Committee, The Ladies Auxiliary of Hannah Home and the Greater Birmingham Humane Society. A devoted Catholic she was member of St Joseph's, St Mark's the Evangelist and Our Lady of Sorrows during her lifetime in Birmingham. Pauline was purely an example of God's love. You only had to know her to love her. You only had to be in her presence to see God's love shine through her. And if she was your mother, grandmother, sister, aunt or friend, then you have been touched by God's love. Rosary will be on Tuesday, August 31st, at 5:00 pm at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church, in Homewood. Visitation will follow the rosary at the church until 7:30. A funeral mass will be celebrated at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church by Monsignor Martin M. Muller on Wednesday, September 1st, at 10:30am. Graveside services will follow the mass at Elmwood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family request donations be made to Pauline's dearest sisters at the Dominican Monastery of St Jude, P O Box 170, Marbury, AL 36051.