Alfredo Piersanti Obituary

My father came from a small village, Cervaro, in the beautiful Abruzze region of Italy. He was apprenticed as a shoemaker, but he became more than that, he became a craftsman and artisan. He took great pride in work, in fact he often lamented that one of the reasons he quit the business was because people no longer appreciated his work.

After serving 7 years in the Italian army he escaped capture by the German troops and barely made his way back to his hometown. He spent the rest of the war avoiding capture by the occupying Germans.

After the war he married my Mom and he came to the U.S. The country that became his own. With my Mom he built a business, a home and a family.

He loved this country and everything about it. He loved the politics and became a lifelong Democrat. One of my fondest memories is from 1960 when he took me to the famous torchlight parade in Chicago for John F. Kennedy, his hero.

He also loved flowers and his garden; music, especially opera; cars (he was a lifelong chevy man); the Chicago Cubs; his house in Florida (his pride and joy)and his family, from my mother to the most distant relative.

But most of all he loved people, all people. I can still remember at Christmas when all the men would go from house to house, collecting each other and celebrating Christmas together. It was wonderful.

I was lucky to have such a wonderful and loving father.

My father was a great man, who never looked down on anybody, and loved everybody.

Dear Frank and Family,

My families heart felt thoughts and prayers are with you, in this, your time of need.

I wish I had some magic words that would give you some comfort, but there are no words, for only time can heal your pain.

I am truly sorry for your loss!



Shari Weidman and Family

I just want to say this was my grandfather who I loved very much. I'm just writing this now because I don't think I could speak at the funeral. My grandfather was born on May 31,1917. In a small town in Abbruzzo, Italy. He did not have much growing up. But he was happy. After spending time in the military. He studied to be a shoemaker. When he came to america in 1947 he worked in consruction for a year. Before he opened his own shoe repair store in winnetka,Illinois. Which he ran for 21 years before he sold it in 1969. What I always will remember about my grandfather was how gracious he was towards other people. He loved entertaining it didn't matter who you were he wanted you to have a drink with him. If you we're lucky he would tell you a story about growing up in Italy. What I will also remember about my grandfather was him sitting in his garage in his house in winnetka smoking his pipe watching the cars go by. I will always love you grandpa I'm sorry I couldn't come up and say this in person. Because I don't think I could hold it together.