Massimo 55 Family Reunion!
Celebrating 55 Years of Family, Fun, and Love
Dates: Friday, August 9 – Sunday, August 11
Join Us for Our 55th Annual Massimo Family Reunion Weekend!
Reconnect with Loved Ones and Create Lasting Memories
For Invitation & Itinerary, CLICK HERE!
Place Your T-Shirt Order by July 23rd
Please RSVP by July 20th
Email questions to MassimoFamily1969@gmail.com
Famiglia di Massimo
Michael Massimo (1862 to 1939)
In the beginning…
Michael Massimo and Maria Regina Manco
When Michael Massimo was born on September 29, 1862, in the village of Riccia (Province of Campobasso, region of Molise, Italy), his father, Pasquale Massimo (1823-1902), was 39 and his mother, Maria Luisa Palange (1825-1885), was 36.
Michael had 4 older siblings, Maria Filomena (1849), Raffaele (1851), Luigi (1852), and Alessandro (1857). Two of the five children, Maria Filomena and Raffaele, remained in Italy. Luigi settled in South America, where one of his daughters became a very prominent stage actress. Both Alessandro and Michael decided to begin their new lives in North America.
Michael married Maria Regina Manco on November 15, 1885, at the age of 23 while still in Riccia, Italy. Maria Regina came from the same town of Riccia. Soon after their son, Ernesto, was born, in 1888, Regina and Michael decided that they would like to live their lives together in America. So they immigrated to North America and settled down in Hazleton, PA. They were the parents of 1 son, Ernesto (10/29/1888), who passed away in 1889 at the mere age of one, and 5 daughters, Luisa (5/17/1890-4/21/1961), Teresa (1/15/1892-1/25/1961), Maria Assunta (8/15/1893), Amalia (Millie) (9/3/1895), and Carmella (Katie) (6/16/1897). Michael and Regina were blessed with five beautiful little girls. They were a very happy bunch.
Michael was a carpenter by trade, and he built many homes in the Hazleton area. He was very industrious, successful, and ambitious; not to mention proud. He loved his new life with his new family in his new home in North America.
Well, it was all indeed too good to be true. Unfortunately for Michael and his five daughters, Regina passed away in 1900. Left with five young children and no wife to take care of them, Michael felt it best for the girls to stay with a cousin in Vineland, New Jersey. The girls ranged in age from three to ten years. Michael’s cousin loved caring for the girls because she had none of her own. This relative owned a considerate amount of land where she grew sweet potatoes. Maria Assunta, Millie, and Katie were too young to engage in digging, so they were assigned other chores.
Six months had gone by before Michael made up his mind to bring his precious daughters back to Hazleton with him for good. He realized that he loved and missed his little girls too much to be separated from them any longer.
After 26 months as a widow, Michael was introduced to another young widow, Rachael De Mario, from Freeland, Pennsylvania. She had a son, Cornelius, by her previous marriage. Michael and Rachael were married on October 21, 1901. After a short while, they decided to move to Berwick. Berwick, at the time, was becoming a very prosperous town due to the American Car and Foundry that was located there.
There were not very many homes in West Berwick at the time, just a few scattered here and there. Michael, Rachael, and their six children rented a home at the corner of 4th Avenue. Anxious to have his own, Michael built one of the first homes on Freas Avenue in the 1200 block.
And life went on…
Ernesto Massimo (1888-1889)
Luisa Massimo (5/17/1890-4/21/1961) married Cosimo Damiano Sacco (1/22/1884-12/6/1973) on November 28, 1907
- Concetta (Jeanette) (10/30/1908-1986)
- Regina (1910-1961)
- Joseph (1911-1986)
- Carmela (1913-1914)
- Michael (1915-1916)
- Maria (1916-1917)
- Ida (1918-1918)
- Adolfo (1920-1920)
- Cosimo (1922-2015)
- Nicholas (3/17/1925-1983)
- Rita Louise (4/15/1930-10/25/2015)
Teresa Massimo (1/15/1892-1/25/1961) married Antonio Lovecchio
- Mary
- Regina
- Emelio
- Rose
- Angelo
- Lorraine
- Jacqueline
Maria Assunta Massimo (8/15/1893) married Pasquale Romeo
- Stephen
- Regina
- Michael
- Rachael
Amalia (Millie) (9/3/1895) married John DiGiandomenico
- Michael
- Regina
- Joseph
- Anthony
Carmella (Katie) (6/16/1897) married Joseph Ressa
- Jean
- Regina
- Rachael
- Joseph
- Cosimo
- Richard
On to 1969 … The First Annual Massimo Family Reunion
The first Massimo reunion was held at the Karpet Klub in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania on Sunday, August 10, 1969. The reunion was catered by Dick Benefield of the Hotel Magee. The rain did not spoil the attendance. There were 105 adults and 32 children present. Only 8 members of the family did not attend.
Concetta (Jeanette) Sacco was in charge of registration, assisted by Regina Lovecchio Manco, Marian Sacco, and Kathie DiPippa.
All the adults were given a St. Christopher keychain as a souvenir of the 1st reunion. The business meeting was called to order by President Mike Romeo. The President was overjoyed at the enthusiasm of the family, and he thanked all the committee members for doing such a fine job in planning the affair.
Since all were in favor of another reunion the next year, it was decided to select the date and place at a later meeting. Nominations for President were opened and were as follows:
- Nick Sacco was nominated by Dick Paden
- Mike Romeo was nominated by Tony DiGiandomenico
- Joe Sacco was nominated by Angelo Lovecchio
The Secretary and Treasurer would be the same for another year. After much campaigning, lots of fun, parades, speakers, and gifts for all, Nick Sacco won the election. An invitation was extended by Tony DiGiandomenico to have the first meeting in Greenville, October 12th, and the President accepted.
In order to continue with the remainder of the program, the meeting was adjourned with a motion made by Ralph Norce Sr. and seconded by Regina Ressa Paden.
Respectfully submitted by Jackie Melchiorre, Secretary
Highlights of the First Annual Massimo Reunion:
Corsages to honor the guests. Engraved silver knife to Aunt Millie DiGiandomenico and Aunt Katie Ressa. Programs were presented by Joe Ressa (44). 1.5 cases of liquor and gin were donated by the Sacco, Lovecchio, Romeo, DiGiandomenico, and Ressa families. Souvenir hats and sewing kits were donated by Joe Sacco. Campaign gifts were given by Nick Sacco and Mike Romeo. Ralph Norce Sr. dressed as a clown and gave a gift to each child as part of the program. Door prizes and Pokeno were enjoyed throughout the day.
The following prizes were awarded:
Oldest lady – Maria (Millie) DiGiandomenico
Oldest man – Cosimo Sacco Sr.
Youngest baby – Mary Casimira Kimsal
Longest married – Millie and John DiGiandomenico
Youngest married – Anthony and Rochelle Lovecchio
Farthest traveled – Richard and Ilona Ressa (Tennessee)
Most children – Mary and Ralph Norce (7) & Rita and Clifford Stout (7)
Most reservations – Scorchy and Margie Lovecchio & Rita and Clifford Stout
First reservation – Mike Romeo
Last reservation – Anthony Norce Sr.
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