52 Weeks To Better Genealogy - Challenge #22

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This weeks  GeneaBlogger challenge was to spend some time on Find A Grave.  The idea was not to actually research using it but to spend some time clicking the various links.  Well, that didn't work so well. In no time at all I had found I could actually contribute information and photos to the site and so I spend a couple of hours just adding information to the database.  That led me to several other sites and 6 hours later, I realized that I had *forgotten to make dinner.  It's nights like this that pizza delivery really comes in handy!
I first used Find A Grave about five years ago to help me track down the family of my great grandfather, John Polito.  They have a wonderful forum section and within 12 hours of posting my question on the Colorado board I had made contact with the great grandson of John.  From there I found my grandmother's first cousin and she has since returned a box of great grandpa's documents to me. 
If you use the site, make sure to try different variations of the surname you are researching.  If your ancestor's name was "changed" when arriving to the US then almost certainly they will be buried under their new surname. There are also several wonderful people who will do photo look ups in cemeteries for people and who have transcribed many cemeteries across North America, Canada and some even overseas.  One such member looked up my grandfather, Ernesto Salvati tombstone for me and took several pictures and another created a memorial to him.  Definitely a site worth using over and over again!

Tombstone Tuesday

Bruno was my Paternal Grandfather's nephew, and his oldest brother, Giuseppe's son. I've managed to collect quite a bit of info on him since his arrival in 1920 (he was 15) but I have not yet found the tombstone for Bruno, his wife Rose or his parents, Joseph and Josephine. I have contacted Find A Grave for help to see if someone can photograph the cemetery where he is buried. Below is a partial copy of his obituary.

Bruno Angilletti
Friday, August 26, 2005
Bruno Angilletti
Sept. 16, 1904–Aug. 24, 2005

Private funeral services for Bruno Angilletti, 100, of Newark, will be held for family on Saturday, at the Reed-Egan Funeral Home, 141 Green Wave Drive, Newark, with the Rev. Robert Penhallurick officiating. Interment will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery.

Bruno Angilletti died in the Hospice wing of LPN Health Care Facility on Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2005. He was born in Ardura, Calabria, Italy to the late Joseph and Josephine (Rubino) Angilletti.

Bruno enjoyed spending time gardening, playing cards, watching boxing on TV and cooking. He was very proud of his Italian heritage. He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law,....

In addition to his parents, Bruno was preceded in death by his wife, Rose (Prato) Angilletti.

The family request that memorials be made to Hospice of Central Ohio, 2269 Cherry Valley Road, Newark.

Originally published August 26, 2005
Source Citation: Newspaper: Advocate; Publication Date: 26 Aug 2005; Publication Place: Newark , OH , US

Tombstone Tuesday - Ernesto and Erminia Salvati

This tombstone belongs to my grandparents and is located in Westchester County, Yonkers, New York and was taken by a kind gentleman who a friend found on Find a Grave.  My grandparents died three months apart with Erminia passing away first in October 1974 at 62 years of age of Leukemia and Ernesto in January 1975, at 69 of a brain tumor.  In spite of this, most of the family believes he actually died of a broken heart - who am I to disillusion them?

My grandparents were married for 44 years and had 4 children together although only three lived. They married in Italy and eventually moved to Yonkers New York where they remained until their deaths.