email this
print thisSAVE AND SHARE
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Spring Oak resident celebrates 100th birthday
Nettie Fanelli DiSanto has a big reason to celebrate: the resident of Spring Oak Retirement Center in Berlin recently turned 100 years old.
“She’s still got a lot of vigor in her,” said daughter Joan Orsini of Pennsauken. “It’s a wonderful thing.”
One of nine children, six girls and three boys, DiSanto was born on June 15, 1908 in Philadelphia.
DiSanto and her husband raised their children in Camden; he was a barber, and she was a seamstress, making dresses for young girls.
Sewing was a family tradition: all of DiSanto’s sisters were in the garment industry. In fact, DiSanto helped form the original woman’s union of garment workers in the area.
The attention to detail that comes with a talent in sewing showed itself in other ways in her life. DiSanto always wanted her home and surroundings orderly and clean. Even now, she tries to be well-dressed with outfits that coordinate in complimentary colors.
“She was very particular about herself and her home,” Orsini said.
DiSanto was also known for being a great cook; her spaghetti and meatballs was her most famous dish. In fact, Orsini said that one of DiSanto’s grandchildren even wrote a song, “Nettie and Her Spaghetti” to pay tribute to the tasty dish.
Although she only had two children, Joan and a son, Louis, DiSanto has eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, all of which live in the area.
DiSanto has always been a family-oriented person who treasured her relationships with her relatives.
“She always loved her children and grandchildren, and treats them good,” said Orsini.
Besides her family, DiSanto also enjoys her life at Spring Oak, where she’s lived for almost two years, and playing bingo.
“She’s still got a lot of vigor in her,” said daughter Joan Orsini of Pennsauken. “It’s a wonderful thing.”
One of nine children, six girls and three boys, DiSanto was born on June 15, 1908 in Philadelphia.
DiSanto and her husband raised their children in Camden; he was a barber, and she was a seamstress, making dresses for young girls.
Sewing was a family tradition: all of DiSanto’s sisters were in the garment industry. In fact, DiSanto helped form the original woman’s union of garment workers in the area.
The attention to detail that comes with a talent in sewing showed itself in other ways in her life. DiSanto always wanted her home and surroundings orderly and clean. Even now, she tries to be well-dressed with outfits that coordinate in complimentary colors.
“She was very particular about herself and her home,” Orsini said.
DiSanto was also known for being a great cook; her spaghetti and meatballs was her most famous dish. In fact, Orsini said that one of DiSanto’s grandchildren even wrote a song, “Nettie and Her Spaghetti” to pay tribute to the tasty dish.
Although she only had two children, Joan and a son, Louis, DiSanto has eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, all of which live in the area.
DiSanto has always been a family-oriented person who treasured her relationships with her relatives.
“She always loved her children and grandchildren, and treats them good,” said Orsini.
Besides her family, DiSanto also enjoys her life at Spring Oak, where she’s lived for almost two years, and playing bingo.
