[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 113 (Thursday, June 18, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E553]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF THERESA CARRANO ARGENTO

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 18, 2020

  Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, it is with the heaviest of hearts that I 
rise today to pay tribute to the life and legacy of one of the pillars 
of New Haven's Italian-American community and my dear friend, Theresa 
Carrano Argento. She lived a long, full life and our community will not 
be the same without her.
  One of six children, Theresa grew up in the Wooster Square 
neighborhood of New Haven. Her father owned a ``specialty market,'' 
selling imported fruit from California--pears, oranges, and cherries, 
all individually wrapped in color-coded paper. Her mother was an 
immigrant from Italy. When the stock market crashed, her father nearly 
lost the store. Instead of folding as so many others had, her father 
found work, as did she and her siblings, and her mother was left to run 
the family business. It was from these early life lessons that Theresa 
learned the true strength of family and community.
  Theresa dedicated most of her adult life to preserving and 
celebrating the community and its members' shared Italian heritage. She 
was a founding member of the Saint Andrew's Ladies Auxiliary, the 
women's branch of one of New Haven's Italian-American Societies and an 
organization she led for decades before stepping down only a few short 
years ago. She was also a dedicated communicant of St. Michael's 
Church, Connecticut's oldest Italian church, organizing and supporting 
fundraisers and even serving as its bookkeeper for a time. She worked 
to revive the Columbus Day celebration in New Haven and was a constant 
presence at Wooster Square's annual Cherry Blossom Festival. She was a 
member, and often served in the leadership, of most of the Italian-
American clubs and organizations in the community. Theresa understood 
the importance of preserving and sharing that culture and those 
traditions with new generations. She was, in a word, remarkable.
  Theresa was a matriarch in the Wooster Square community, much like my 
own mother, Luisa. They were, in fact, great friends and it was a 
friendship that remained strong until my mother's passing just two 
years ago. Both Theresa and my mother were forces of nature in their 
own rights, and when they got together, there was no stopping them. It 
was at their feet that I learned the importance of community and it is 
on their shoulders that I stand today. I would not be who I am today 
without their influence so I will be forever grateful for their 
guidance and support.
  Theresa was an extraordinary friend, mentor, and community leader. I 
like so many others consider myself fortunate to have known her. She 
was so much more than a friend--she was family. I am heartbroken at her 
loss, but I know her memory will live on. I extend my deepest 
sympathies to Theresa's daughters, Nettie and Francis, as well as her 
four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Throughout her life, 
she touched the lives of many and hers is a legacy that will continue 
to inspire both those who knew her and generations to come.

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