Ruth Razzano - Obituary

uth Audrey Razzano (nee Barber), 90, passed away peacefully at her home in Riva on June 16, 2012 after a long illness. Born December 21, 1921 in Brooklyn, NY, Ruth, known as Audrey, attended Girls Commercial High School, worked at Western Union and for a brief period during WWII was a “Rosie the Riveter”¬¬¬ with a security clearance to make compasses. She also met and married the love of her life, Gabriel “Bill” Razzano, after “she chased him around for a while.” As a surprise for her husband, she converted to Catholicism while he was away during the war. Her faith sustained her throughout her life. She became a true Italian when she started working at Gabe’s (the Razzano family bar) where she learned to make many traditional Italian recipes. After WWII, and the birth of their two children, little Audrey and Ron, Audrey and Bill moved from New York, through Pennsylvania to Bowie, Maryland where she planted her roots. For twenty years, Audrey was a fixture in Bowie social circles. She was a charter member of Ladies of the Elks #2309 and was a Lady Lioness. When Bill retired, they moved to their house in Riva, MD. At their house on the river, she always had an open door, a cake on hand and a cup of coffee ready for her visitors. On any given day, you could find her singing in the kitchen with her husband, listening to Italian music and Frank Sinatra and reading the newspaper or a novel on her deck, and spending time with family and friends. She and Bill were famous among all who knew them for their spaghetti and crab dinners. She enjoyed her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, puzzles and reading. She wintered in Florida where she and Bill had many friends and relatives. Audrey was a 38-year breast cancer survivor and had a special appreciation for life. She left her children and grandchildren with a legacy of living life to the fullest and encouraged them seize every opportunity. She was devoted to her family, but she also taught us that family is not always about blood. She was a surrogate grandmother and aunt to many. She left us all knowing that laughter is the best medicine and that life is always a little less dreary with a song in your heart. Audrey is survived by her daughter, Audrey (Paul) Fohner of Gambrills, MD and her son, Ron of Edgewater, MD; 10 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren, and her dog Jefferson. She was predeceased by her husband of 65 years, Bill Razzano and her daughter-in-law, Linda Razzano. Friends are invited to join her family from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, June 18 at the George P. Kalas Funeral Home, 2973 Solomons Island Rd., Edgewater, MD 21037. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, June 19 at Holy Family Catholic Church, 826 West Central Avenue, Davidsonville. Interment Lakemont Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to Hospice of the Chesapeake, http://www.hospicechesapeake.org/ or Best Dawg Rescue http://www.dawg-rescue.org/donate.htm. An online guestbook is available by accessing the link at the top of this page.