Francesca Arquilla

Francesca Arquilla, nee Agostinelli, 88, of Hinsdale and Naples, FL, passed away peacefully August 8, 2024, surrounded by her family. She was also a recent 42 year resident of Darien, IL.
Francesca is recognized by all as a wonderful woman and an inspiration to her family. She was strong, kind, wise and always positive and loving. She was a grateful and prayerful woman who was dedicated to her faith.
Francesca was born in Pacentro, Italy on February 27, 1936 to Paolo and Bambina Agostinelli. She immigrated to the United States in 1956 and first settled in the US with her family in Coraopolis, PA. She married her beloved husband of 50 years, Primo Arquilla, in Caracas, Venezuela in December 1958. Francesca and Primo initially lived in Coraopolis, PA and then Denver, CO before settling in Chicago where they raised their two sons Venanzio and Paul.
During World War II, Francesca (at the age of 7) and her family survived the Sfollamento (homelessness) which impacted her village of Pacentro starting on November 11, 1943. In the Sfollamento, the Nazi military established the Gustav Line across Central Italy which was intended to stop the American and British troops that were moving north up the Italian peninsula and liberating Italy. The Nazi military took over several strategically positioned villages including Pacentro and removed all of the residents from their homes in the middle of winter season. Francesca remembered and spoke of the Sfollamento for most of her life.
Francesca went to work for a toy company in Pittsburgh almost immediately after arriving in the USA in 1956. Over the following 44 years, she worked in a variety of industries including manufacturing, retail, education, healthcare and senior living. She valued a strong work ethic as well as building strong relationships and along with her husband Primo, she passed on these values to their sons. Francesca made friends easily and she nurtured numerous long term friendships.
Francesca was very proud of her Italian heritage and she was also very proud to be an American often uttering the phrase, "God Bless America!" She was a great cook of both the native Italian dishes that she learned to make from her mother Bambina as well as the American dishes she learned here in the USA.
Francesca was a long time member of the Raiano Women's Club as well as the Younger Than Ever Seniors Club of Our Lady of Peace Parish in Darien. She was a long time parishioner of Our Lady of Peace Parish in Darien and most recently, she was a parishioner of St. Isaac Jogues Parish in Hinsdale as well as St. John the Evangelist in Naples.
Francesca enjoyed reading, crochet, going to church and watching Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. She prayed the Holy Rosary every day and she had an encyclopedic memory.
Francesca was blessed with two loving sons, Dr. Paul Arquilla and Venanzio Arquilla and also two loving daughters in law, Danielle Arquilla and Shannon Arquilla. She loved all of her family but nothing gave Francesca more joy than her four grandchildren, Isabella, Primo, Giorgio and Paul Luciano Arquilla. They were the light of her life. Francesca and her husband Primo valued education and she was proud of the academic achievements of her four grandchildren at St. Ignatius College Prep (Isabella, Primo and Giorgio), Marian Catholic (Paul Luciano), University of Illinois (Isabella), Tulane University (Primo), Tufts University (Giorgio) and Baylor University (in process - Paul Luciano).
Francesca's family also includes; Lina (the late Rocco) Zavatti, Donato (Tonina) Agostinelli, and the late Elia Maria (the late Giovanni) Ramunno and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation Thursday, August 15th, 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Sullivan Funeral Home, 60 South Grant Street, Hinsdale, IL. Funeral Friday, August 16th, family, and friends to meet for a 10:00 AM Funeral Mass at St. Isaac Jogues Church, 306 West Fourth Street, Hinsdale. Mass will be Live-streamed.
Entombment Queen of Heaven, Christ the King Mausoleum. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the, Hinsdale Hospital Foundation are appreciated https://www.uchicagomedicineadventhealth.org/foundations/hinsdale-hospital-foundation-donation-form
630-323-0275 or www.sullivanfuneralhomehinsdale.com
Francesca's register book can be signed electronically HERE