Louis L. Angelina, of Oswego, passed away in the early morning hours of Friday, August 24, 2007. He was 96 years old. He was a fine example of American life in the twentieth century. Born in 1911, Louis was a native of Oswego's East side, a first-generation American, the son of new immigrants Vincenzo and Adelina Angelini (his father changed his name to James Angelina), who neither spoke, wrote nor read English. He was the last survivor of seven siblings. He came of age in the 1920s, married Jane Trenca in 1934--they celebrated their 73rd anniversary on June 23--and began a family during the Depression. His search for work often led to construction jobs out of town, and he himself was a well-regarded builder, having reconstructed his own house and lived in it since 1936, which he bought for $1,750, a sum that was difficult to raise at the time. Louis and Jane raised four children, Adele Mangano, the late Joan Kennison, and two sons, Louis and Joseph. He was a longtime West 5th Street community member, an active communicant of St. Joseph's parish, where he was an usher for 60 years, and a member in good standing of St. Rocco's fraternal order, Holy Name, and the Dante Aleghieri Lodge #436. He retired from Alcan in 1976 yet insisted on remaining active, working at Wiltsie construction in Oswego as a brother of the Boilermakers Local 175. A lifelong Yankee fan and armchair manager, begun via radio in 1947, Louis was also a self-taught cook and enjoyed preparing a variety of meals for his extended family. He cured his own prosciutto, was an enthusiastic gardener with a specialty in tomatoes and continued his fine woodworking well after retirement, fashioning heirlooms for his large and beloved family, which included 15 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren, with another on the way. His children and grandchildren, as well as numerous friends and neighbors, remember the warm welcomes at regular visits to the Angelinas' all through the year, featuring Louis's magnificent table of homemade specialties, in particular his tomato sauce and secret-recipe meatballs. To this day the warm and inviting smells upon entering his kitchen linger in their collective memory. Funeral services will be conducted at 8:15 a.m. Monday from Sugar and Scanlon Funeral Home, Oswego, and 9 a.m. in St. Joseph Church, where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated. Burial will be in All Saints Mausoleum, Oswego. Calling hours will be 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home, 147 West Fourth Street, Oswego.


Published in Syracuse Post Standard on August 25, 2007