Norma Jean Asiano

1928 - 2022

Norma Jean Asiano
July 1, 1928 - July 2, 2022
Born in Columbus, Ohio, longtime Mill Valley resident Norma DiPietro Asiano passed away the day after celebrating her 94th birthday. The daughter of Italian immigrants from the Abruzzo region, she attended Ohio State University, worked at the Columbus Dispatch and sang professionally as an opera, classical and big band vocalist. As a young woman, she traveled to Italy for several months to meet relatives and improve her Italian. She remained close to her Italian cousins, visiting them throughout her life.
In 1953, she married a handsome Naval officer, Leonard Asiano, a union that lasted 60 years. In 1955, they moved to California to join her in-laws in Mill Valley, owners of Homestead Valley Grocery.
Norma loved strong and well and felt passionate about family and friends. She lived a big, full life with a husband who adored her and their large brood of five kids. She threw great parties and never missed a good sale at I. Magnin's. Her culinary skills were famous, especially her gnocchi and tiramisu. The Italian Consulate awarded her a gold medal for her tiramisu, earning her the title of Dogaressa, First Lady of the Venetian Court.
She spent summers at Tahoe with family and traveled the world with Leonard, touring the Taj Mahal and Angkor Wat and visiting the Tiananmen Square protestors just before the tanks rolled in.
As one of the founders of the Museo Italo Americano, she served on the Board of Directors and was a longtime Outdoor Art Club member. A faithful parishioner of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, with her strong Catholic faith, Norma's generosity knew no bounds. After a neighbor girl's brown, stunted teeth alarmed Norma, she learned that the girl's mother couldn't afford treating the disfigurement. Norma enlisted her dentist to provide a lengthy treatment pro bono, changing the girl's life.
A great loss to her family, she's with Leonard now, gliding together in a gondola through a Venetian canal. Farewell, Dogaressa.
Norma is predeceased by her husband, Leonard Asiano, parents, Grace and Arcangelo DiPietro, a brother, Mel DiPietro, sisters Ermida Croce, Eda Rossetti, Florence Corna and Eleanor DiPietro. Five children survive her, Lenore Greiner (Rob) of San Diego, Julie Asiano (Ralph Eisenhut) of Mill Valley, Philip Asiano (Cristiane) of San Diego, Joseph Asiano (Michelle) of San Francisco and James Asiano of Mill Valley. She was loved by the eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren who survive her.
A Memorial Mass will be held on July 13th at 11am at Mill Valley's Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church. In lieu of flowers, friends and family may donate to the San Francisco Opera.