My Grandpa's Eulogy
By: Gabriella Celona

My Grandpa lived a wonderful life. He found the love of his life at a very young age, didn’t only have a family but showed us what family meant. He had so many great friends, explored the world, and even made it to TikTok fame.
Now if it were up to him, I would name every single one of his accomplishments today. From when he won the CYO award as “Most Outstanding Catholic", to first sergeant in the National Guard, to being on the board at Cedar Pond. While I would love nothing more than to make that happen, we don't have hours for me to do that, so instead I am going to try to cut it down and speak on how he was genuinely the best grandfather, father, brother, uncle and friend.
My Grandpa did something that not just anyone would; he stepped up as a father for my sisters and I. He was at every dance recital, baseball practice, games; cheerleading competitions. Along with my mother, he and my nana raised us as basically our extended parents. The love of a grandparent is unconditional, but the love for my grandparents goes far beyond what anyone else has. All of the people in my life have seen, and spoken about how amazing my grandparents were, and it makes me feel so lucky to have had them in my life for the time that I did.
He was a phenomenal father to my mom and uncle. Someone they both could turn to for any reason. He was always there for them whether it was a milestone or just everyday life. One of their biggest memories with Grandpa was on a Friday night when Nana would work at The Underground, he would bring them to Burger King and K Mart to ride the merry go round outside of the store. He also made a mean pancake, which of course, he didn’t just call it a pancake, it was a fluffo fluffo.
As for my Auntie Fran– “My Sister” as he called her. In her words, I quote “We had a nice little brother, big sister relationship. At times we had a mother son relationship. But the best relationship was that we were best friends.”
His grandchildren were everything to him. He was so happy doing anything that revolved around the eight of us. Going to the batting cages with Alexandra, making grilled cheeses for Mia and Guilianna. He was so proud and always talking about Niko and Michael’s sporting accomplishments, or even just joking with Lily by calling her Wanda. And he always made sure to keep extra junior mints in the house because me and Luca liked them; Luca calls them “Bampa Candy”. Every year on his birthday we would all take a picture with him, and the first thing he did was make it his facebook cover photo.
My Grandpa loved music, that was one thing that we shared that I will cherish forever. We would sing all the old 60s and 70s songs together. Whenever someone had to pick him up he would tell everyone that he likes when I drive him because I was the only one who let him listen to his music. We would go on and on about all the great songs that were made back in that day in age. I always said I wish I could have experienced those times first hand, but luckily my Grandpa showed me a glimpse of what it was like.
The Inspirations were a part of my Grandpa’s life that will live on forever. A boy band that never broke up. Recently his friend Paul Penta said “The Inspirations shared experiences not only in a musical situation, but oddly enough, before they formed the idea of The Inspirations.” Four guys from the same parish, singing and performing together on the streets, at CYO talent shows, then bigger gigs, including a very special performance for my Nana on their wedding day. They were even in the newspaper getting photographed at South Station before going on the train to Chicago. It was a shared experience that has bonded them all together for life.
I also spoke with his close friends Tom and Jan and they had many wonderful things to say about my Grandpa. Obviously one being about music– they said “he loved to sing background parts to songs and instruments, and absolutely loved that [my little cousin] Niko had inherited that particular annoying habit.”
They then went on to talk about how he was a natural comedian. In the 23 years of my existence, there was not one day where my Grandpa didn't have some sort of trick up his sleeve. Up until his last day with us, he was joking with me if it was the last thing he could do. My Grandpa was one heck of a jokester. What made it even funnier was that my Nana knew how silly he was being and would literally have to tell him to stop. Grandpa had a knack for mimicking voices, and one time nana and Grandpa were in Martha's vineyard with all of their friends buying candy. A simple thing you would think… Well, he started to respond to the clerk, who was middle eastern, in her accent. Nana had to punch him before he realized he was even doing it. Even HE was embarrassed that time. He did this exact same thing when we were all in Disney, and he was speaking to the uber driver in a British accent.
Grandpa always had so many laughs. His other very close friend Steve, up until this day I still call him Stevie Baloney, said to me “there are so many memories that it's hard to pinpoint one because every time [they] were together, it was an adventure.” They always, always had a good time. Whenever Grandpa would get in trouble, Steve would make up a lie to back him up so quickly, even though everyone knew they were lying.
I got a tattoo for him that says “Forever Grandpa’s Tiny Dancer” . He may not have been able to see it but I am so glad I got to tell him about it before he passed. He always called me his tiny dancer, Tiny Dancer from Elton John was our song. We would get emotional when the song came on, (and yes, I definitely get the emotional trait from my Grandpa haha). He cried about everything, from watching little house on the prairie, to talking about a childhood memory.
My Grandpa has taught me so many life lessons. He showed me what love is supposed to be like. My mom always said “you see how Grandpa treats Nana? That's how you should be treated”. Grandparents seem invincible, I never thought mine wouldn't be here for when I get married, or have kids. But I do know that they will be here, in my heart, and that they are still with me.
Regardless of how hard this is, and how badly I don’t want to accept it– it gives me peace that my Grandpa is back in my nanas arms, not hurting, happy again. I love you Grandpa, I miss you every single day.
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