Obituary for Mena Imperial
The Life of Mena Imperial
Mena Imperial passed away on April 30, 2019 at 90 years old. She was from a first generation immigrant family from Port Washington, Long Island, born on December 23, 1928. She was very close to her father who passed away when she was a young girl.
Throughout her life, she held a variety of jobs, always reinventing her career. She worked for the New York Herald Tribune, Cathay Crafts, IBM, and in her "retirement,” as a travel agent for Parisi Travel.
Having worked for years on an IBM Selectric typewriter, it took her awhile to agree to switch to a personal computer. Once she did, she embraced it fully, learning how to use email - especially the “forward” button - and how to use AOL instant messenger.
She was a smart and tireless worker - holding down a full time job while taking care of her only son, Alex - her “Angel Baby who could do no wrong.” She loved reading, volunteered at the library, square dancing, golfing, playing Scrabble with her sister, swimming, and the Outer Banks of North Carolina. One of her biggest frustrations in life was that she could not convince either of her granddaughters to join her on the course.
She was an amazing cook, gracious host, and warm entertainer, always welcoming family and friends into her home for Sunday dinner. We will all miss her marinara sauce, pizza rustica, eggplant parmigiana, mashed potatoes, rice pudding, fried chicken, baked Alaska, and lemon bars.
Most importantly, she was a thoughtful, wonderful person who formed friendships with everyone that she met, wherever she went. She had a kind word for everyone. She became a mother to her daughter-in-law, when her daughter-in-law’s own mother passed away and they had a strong, loving relationship. She taught us all to see the best in people, and people saw the best we can be, in her.
She will be buried in the mausoleum at Ferncliff Cemetery, where she will forever rest in the “top drawer” - the crypt above her ex-husband. She leaves her son, Alex Calabrese, his wife, Linda Tempel, and their two daughters, Corey and Allie.
Mena Imperial passed away on April 30, 2019 at 90 years old. She was from a first generation immigrant family from Port Washington, Long Island, born on December 23, 1928. She was very close to her father who passed away when she was a young girl.
Throughout her life, she held a variety of jobs, always reinventing her career. She worked for the New York Herald Tribune, Cathay Crafts, IBM, and in her "retirement,” as a travel agent for Parisi Travel.
Having worked for years on an IBM Selectric typewriter, it took her awhile to agree to switch to a personal computer. Once she did, she embraced it fully, learning how to use email - especially the “forward” button - and how to use AOL instant messenger.
She was a smart and tireless worker - holding down a full time job while taking care of her only son, Alex - her “Angel Baby who could do no wrong.” She loved reading, volunteered at the library, square dancing, golfing, playing Scrabble with her sister, swimming, and the Outer Banks of North Carolina. One of her biggest frustrations in life was that she could not convince either of her granddaughters to join her on the course.
She was an amazing cook, gracious host, and warm entertainer, always welcoming family and friends into her home for Sunday dinner. We will all miss her marinara sauce, pizza rustica, eggplant parmigiana, mashed potatoes, rice pudding, fried chicken, baked Alaska, and lemon bars.
Most importantly, she was a thoughtful, wonderful person who formed friendships with everyone that she met, wherever she went. She had a kind word for everyone. She became a mother to her daughter-in-law, when her daughter-in-law’s own mother passed away and they had a strong, loving relationship. She taught us all to see the best in people, and people saw the best we can be, in her.
She will be buried in the mausoleum at Ferncliff Cemetery, where she will forever rest in the “top drawer” - the crypt above her ex-husband. She leaves her son, Alex Calabrese, his wife, Linda Tempel, and their two daughters, Corey and Allie.