Blanche was born in Manhattan's Lower East Side on December 9, 1905 to Tillie and Benjamin Flashenberg. As a young child she grew up in the Yorkville section of Manhattan. In the mid-late 1920s she moved to the Midwood section of Brooklyn with her family.
She married Alfonso Torregrossa at Borough Hall in Brooklyn, New York on December 14, 1926. The young couple rented their first apartment at Tabor Court near 13th Avenue.
Blanche was 58 years old when Alfonso passed away. She believed that the best way to honor the deceased is to do good works in their name.
Blanche became a volunteer at Maimonides Hospital in Brooklyn a short time after Al passed on. She volunteered as a cashier in their cafeteria for over 8 years before retiring. Her volunteer work enabled her to create a new pattern in her life as well as reach out to friends she made at the volunteer position. Blanche joined The Sunshine Club which the volunteers formed for purposes of socializing.
Blanche also loved to take cruises and went to visit Israel during the late 1960s-mid 1970s with her older sister Belle Arens.
After the onset of Alzheimers in the early 1990s, Blanche went to live with her second son Alfred in Arizona where she remained until her passing on May 18, 1995.
Special Thanks to FindAGrave Volunteer Photographer NoreenP. who took photos of the headstone in Autumn of 2012. She informed me that Blanche's name was not on the headstone. During the process of making arrangements for the engraving, I reconnected with Jackie Devery who is also Blanche's Granddaughter and my favorite cousin as I was growing up. We had a reunion in April of 2013 and have been in touch ever since. This is something that would make Grandma Blanche very, very happy. Thank you NoreenP for getting it going.
NoreenP has kindly rephotographed Blanche and Al's headstone. The 2012 photo shows how it was when she first took the picture. Blanche's name did not appear. A recent 2013 photo shows the recent addition of Blanche's name.
Sources: Discussions with my paternal grandparents Al and Blanche Torregrossa as I grew up.
Social Security Death Index
Conversations with my Father, Frank J. Torregrossa in 1995 after Blanche passed away.
Phone calls to St. Charles Cemetery to confirm Bessie's interment with Al.
Conversations with Jackie Torregrossa Devery, Blanche's Granddaughter.
Conversations with Sybil Arens Grossman Singer, Blanches niece.
Memorial Manager's Note:
Most recent Bio update: 4/2/2014
She married Alfonso Torregrossa at Borough Hall in Brooklyn, New York on December 14, 1926. The young couple rented their first apartment at Tabor Court near 13th Avenue.
Blanche was 58 years old when Alfonso passed away. She believed that the best way to honor the deceased is to do good works in their name.
Blanche became a volunteer at Maimonides Hospital in Brooklyn a short time after Al passed on. She volunteered as a cashier in their cafeteria for over 8 years before retiring. Her volunteer work enabled her to create a new pattern in her life as well as reach out to friends she made at the volunteer position. Blanche joined The Sunshine Club which the volunteers formed for purposes of socializing.
Blanche also loved to take cruises and went to visit Israel during the late 1960s-mid 1970s with her older sister Belle Arens.
After the onset of Alzheimers in the early 1990s, Blanche went to live with her second son Alfred in Arizona where she remained until her passing on May 18, 1995.
Special Thanks to FindAGrave Volunteer Photographer NoreenP. who took photos of the headstone in Autumn of 2012. She informed me that Blanche's name was not on the headstone. During the process of making arrangements for the engraving, I reconnected with Jackie Devery who is also Blanche's Granddaughter and my favorite cousin as I was growing up. We had a reunion in April of 2013 and have been in touch ever since. This is something that would make Grandma Blanche very, very happy. Thank you NoreenP for getting it going.
NoreenP has kindly rephotographed Blanche and Al's headstone. The 2012 photo shows how it was when she first took the picture. Blanche's name did not appear. A recent 2013 photo shows the recent addition of Blanche's name.
Sources: Discussions with my paternal grandparents Al and Blanche Torregrossa as I grew up.
Social Security Death Index
Conversations with my Father, Frank J. Torregrossa in 1995 after Blanche passed away.
Phone calls to St. Charles Cemetery to confirm Bessie's interment with Al.
Conversations with Jackie Torregrossa Devery, Blanche's Granddaughter.
Conversations with Sybil Arens Grossman Singer, Blanches niece.
Memorial Manager's Note:
Most recent Bio update: 4/2/2014
Blanche was born in Manhattan's Lower East Side on December 9, 1905 to Tillie and Benjamin Flashenberg. As a young child she grew up in the Yorkville section of Manhattan. In the mid-late 1920s she moved to the Midwood section of Brooklyn with her family.
She married Alfonso Torregrossa at Borough Hall in Brooklyn, New York on December 14, 1926. The young couple rented their first apartment at Tabor Court near 13th Avenue.
Blanche was 58 years old when Alfonso passed away. She believed that the best way to honor the deceased is to do good works in their name.
Blanche became a volunteer at Maimonides Hospital in Brooklyn a short time after Al passed on. She volunteered as a cashier in their cafeteria for over 8 years before retiring. Her volunteer work enabled her to create a new pattern in her life as well as reach out to friends she made at the volunteer position. Blanche joined The Sunshine Club which the volunteers formed for purposes of socializing.
Blanche also loved to take cruises and went to visit Israel during the late 1960s-mid 1970s with her older sister Belle Arens.
After the onset of Alzheimers in the early 1990s, Blanche went to live with her second son Alfred in Arizona where she remained until her passing on May 18, 1995.
Special Thanks to FindAGrave Volunteer Photographer NoreenP. who took photos of the headstone in Autumn of 2012. She informed me that Blanche's name was not on the headstone. During the process of making arrangements for the engraving, I reconnected with Jackie Devery who is also Blanche's Granddaughter and my favorite cousin as I was growing up. We had a reunion in April of 2013 and have been in touch ever since. This is something that would make Grandma Blanche very, very happy. Thank you NoreenP for getting it going.
NoreenP has kindly rephotographed Blanche and Al's headstone. The 2012 photo shows how it was when she first took the picture. Blanche's name did not appear. A recent 2013 photo shows the recent addition of Blanche's name.
Sources: Discussions with my paternal grandparents Al and Blanche Torregrossa as I grew up.
Social Security Death Index
Conversations with my Father, Frank J. Torregrossa in 1995 after Blanche passed away.
Phone calls to St. Charles Cemetery to confirm Bessie's interment with Al.
Conversations with Jackie Torregrossa Devery, Blanche's Granddaughter.
Conversations with Sybil Arens Grossman Singer, Blanches niece.
Memorial Manager's Note:
Most recent Bio update: 4/2/2014
She married Alfonso Torregrossa at Borough Hall in Brooklyn, New York on December 14, 1926. The young couple rented their first apartment at Tabor Court near 13th Avenue.
Blanche was 58 years old when Alfonso passed away. She believed that the best way to honor the deceased is to do good works in their name.
Blanche became a volunteer at Maimonides Hospital in Brooklyn a short time after Al passed on. She volunteered as a cashier in their cafeteria for over 8 years before retiring. Her volunteer work enabled her to create a new pattern in her life as well as reach out to friends she made at the volunteer position. Blanche joined The Sunshine Club which the volunteers formed for purposes of socializing.
Blanche also loved to take cruises and went to visit Israel during the late 1960s-mid 1970s with her older sister Belle Arens.
After the onset of Alzheimers in the early 1990s, Blanche went to live with her second son Alfred in Arizona where she remained until her passing on May 18, 1995.
Special Thanks to FindAGrave Volunteer Photographer NoreenP. who took photos of the headstone in Autumn of 2012. She informed me that Blanche's name was not on the headstone. During the process of making arrangements for the engraving, I reconnected with Jackie Devery who is also Blanche's Granddaughter and my favorite cousin as I was growing up. We had a reunion in April of 2013 and have been in touch ever since. This is something that would make Grandma Blanche very, very happy. Thank you NoreenP for getting it going.
NoreenP has kindly rephotographed Blanche and Al's headstone. The 2012 photo shows how it was when she first took the picture. Blanche's name did not appear. A recent 2013 photo shows the recent addition of Blanche's name.
Sources: Discussions with my paternal grandparents Al and Blanche Torregrossa as I grew up.
Social Security Death Index
Conversations with my Father, Frank J. Torregrossa in 1995 after Blanche passed away.
Phone calls to St. Charles Cemetery to confirm Bessie's interment with Al.
Conversations with Jackie Torregrossa Devery, Blanche's Granddaughter.
Conversations with Sybil Arens Grossman Singer, Blanches niece.
Memorial Manager's Note:
Most recent Bio update: 4/2/2014
Inscription
In God's Care.
Family Members
See more Torregrossa or Flashenberg memorials in:
- Saint Charles Cemetery Torregrossa or Flashenberg
- East Farmingdale Torregrossa or Flashenberg
- Suffolk County Torregrossa or Flashenberg
- New York Torregrossa or Flashenberg
- USA Torregrossa or Flashenberg
- Find a Grave Torregrossa or Flashenberg
