Tonia Giacomo's Obituary
Tonia Giacomo, age 90, of Pinckneyville, IL, passed away on Tuesday, February 16, 2016 at 2:30 p.m. in her home. Tonia was born "Tatjana Ostapenko" on December 10, 1925 in Romania. One of her parents was Romanian, the other from the Ukraine. On October 11, 1945, she married Arthur J. Giacomo in Germany and he preceded her in death on December 10, 1996. When Tonia was 2 years old, her family left Romania for the Ukraine, shortly thereafter, her parents disappeared, she says they were murdered by the communists. She was taken in by an aunt and often talked about the struggles and hardships living under communist rule. Tonia drove a fuel truck for the Axis powers until the fuel truck was bombed. She spent some time in a German hospital recovering from burns over most of her body. When she was well enough, a German woman took her in and she worked on the family dairy farm. When she was in the barn milking one day, two Americans approached her and asked if they could stay in the barn. They set up a radar station in the barn. That is how she met her husband, he also worked with radar and radios and came to the farm one day and they fell in love and were married. She was honored by President Dwight D. Eisenhauer for her work with the radar station and President Eisenhauer also presented her and Arthur with a bottle of Cognac as a wedding present. Tonia came to the United States with her husband when she was 19 years old. She learned the language and worked for a time in the Pinckneyville Garment Factory, Pinckneyville, IL. She was a member of St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church, Todds Mill, IL , Catholic Daughters and worked hard on the family farm. She loved to quilt, farm and her family dogs. She is survived by a son, James (Katherine) Giacomo of Pinckneyville; IL, a daughter, Annie Marie Shubert of Pinckneyville, IL; three grandchildren, Mary Elizabeth (Billy) Schablowsky, Kenneth J. (Crystal) Shubert and Shane Anthony Giacomo; eight great-grandchildren, Alexis, Xander, Brianna, Jacob, Alyssa, Austin, Vanessa and Haley; two great-great grandchildren, Braison and Zaiden; goddaughter, Becky Kenner; godson, Michael Bartnicki and her special companion dog, "Punkin". She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband of 51 years and special cousins, Frank and Minerva Ruppert. Funeral services will be held at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church, Todds Mill, IL on Saturday, February 20, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. with Father Bernard Goedde officiating. Interment will be in St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Cemetery, Todds Mill, IL. Friends may call at Pyatt Funeral Home, Pinckneyville, IL on Friday from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and on Saturday morning, at the church, from 9:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. The rosary will be recited on Friday at 8:00 p.m. Memorial donations may be made to Celtic Hospice Healthcare.
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