DIANE MAKAR MURPHY Memories of a mom: Meet Margaret Iachini

Pat Zoccali of Warren sent me a letter several months ago after reading a column about my mom. I saved it, thinking I would share it with readers come Mother's Day.
Mother's Day is Sunday, and Mrs. Zoccali has kindly given me permission to share her memories of her late mother, Margaret Iachini -- a rather extraordinary, ordinary mom -- with you. Here's the letter:
Dear Ms. Murphy:
I enjoyed 'meeting' your mom in the article you wrote. ... I also had an extraordinary Mom that I want you to meet.
I am 60, so I grew up in the '40s and '50s. My mom was a stay-at-home mom who was a real homemaker who took care of me and my brother and dad with her skills that she learned from her mom.
There were certain days for doing the chores in the house, washing on Monday, ironing on Tuesday, baking on Wednesday, cleaning the upstairs on Thursday and downstairs on Friday. When my Dad worked midnight turn at Republic Steel, Mom would get up in the night and wash clothes in the wringer washer so that she would have them done before Dad came home to sleep because he was a light sleeper.
Homemade food
Mom and Dad made the most delicious spaghetti sauce and the homemade ravioli, noodles, macaroni and gnocchi you ever want to taste. I wish I had taken more interest in learning the skill since I took for granted that Mom and Dad would always be here.
My mom and dad made the softest, mouth watering homemade bread from scratch that took all day of rising and kneading. The elephant ears that are so popular at the fairs, were the left-over bread dough that Mom fried and sprinkled with sugar. What a treat and much better than what they serve today.
My mom was always involved in my and my brother's school and she was a 'room mother' way before it was known as that. Mom always baked for the 'cake' walks and doings at the school. She could crochet by looking at something and duplicating it without a pattern because she couldn't read a pattern. I still have rugs and afghans she made.
On Fridays, Mom and Dad would make at least 75 pizzas for the Harding games. My brother 'volunteered' them for his radio club. Our house smelled like a pizza parlor. What was so extraordinary was everything was homemade. The dough, the canned peppers and tomatoes, the cheese grated by hand.
The people who bought the pizza would eat them cold, they were that good. If Mom and Dad would have opened a pizza shop back in the '50s, like my brother wanted them to, the success would have been phenomenal!!
Church involvement
Mom was involved in our church and had the most success with making money for the various fund raisers. She knew all the ladies in and around our southwest side neighborhood, and on Saturdays before a bake sale, she and I would go to each house and collect the baked goods. When there was a festival, Mom would get the merchants downtown to donate items for the various booths.
On Thursdays, we would travel by bus to downtown Warren for 'Bank Night' at the Robbins, or Daniel Theaters. We never won, but it was nice to go and see a movie.
Till the day Mom died, you never heard her complain. She could be in pain or feeling very sick, but if anyone asked how she was, she would just say she was fine.
When I was divorced and moved in with my two sons, my mom and dad were the best influence for my sons since I had to work. ... We have always had strong family values -- no stealing, lying or cheating and always church on Sunday as a family. I learned quite early that even though Mom and Dad did not have much formal education, they were 'street' smart, and my brother and I did not put anything over on them.
Sincerely,
Pat Zoccali
I hope this brings back cherished memories of your own. Happy Mother's Day.
murphy@vindy.com