Emilia Stallone

Emilia Stallone passed away on September 28, 2011, at Providence Horizon House in Anchorage, Alaska where she had resided for the past seven years. She was born on April 14, 1920, in Vignola Barbera near Genoa, Italy. She arrived in the United States with her mother, Maria, in December 1937, coming through Ellis Island. Her father, Carlo Bisio, had moved to Milwaukie, Oregon when she was five months old to find a better life for his family. After seventeen years he had finally saved up enough money, gained citizenship, and final approval from the Italian and US governments, to send for his wife and daughter. Maria and Emilia\u0027s arrival in Portland was written up on the front page of the Oregonian newspaper on December 6, 1937, as few families had to wait eighteen years to be reunited. Her father insisted the only way to learn the English language, as they only spoke Italian, was to get a job, so Emilia started out selling fruits and vegetables at the Portland Farmer\u0027s Market. She married John Stallone, another Italian immigrant from Sicily, in April 1945 in Portland. She had two sons, Dick born in 1946 and John born in 1950. In 1950 she began a career in the retail industry at Meier and Franks Department Store in Portland, lasting 34 years. During her employment she became a trainer in the Ladies Sportswear section, teaching new employees about women\u0027s clothes. In the Italian tradition her mother lived with the family and helped raise the boys until she passed away in 1983. She loved her family, friends, and flowers and had returned to visit family in Italy several times over the years. Emilia was active in St. John\u0027s Parish in Milwaukie until she moved to Anchorage in 2004 to be closer to her sons. She was preceded in death by her parents, Carlo and Maria and her husband John. She is survived by her sons, Dick and John, daughters-in-law Mary and Barbara, grandsons Tony, John Carlo, and Joseph Stallone, Scott and Kirk Jungwirth, Matt Westbrook, granddaughters Trisha Stallone, Jill Cazares, and Megan Westbrook. Also, five great grandchildren, Madison, Coleton, and Carson Jungwirth and Rayna and Thomas Cazares. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, October 8, 2011, at 10:00 a.m. at St. John\u0027s Catholic Church in Milwaukie, Oregon. The Rosary will be held on Friday evening at 6 p.m. at Peake Funeral Home in Milwaukie. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to Hospice of Anchorage 2612 E. Northern Lights Blvd. Anchorage, Alaska 99508."",