Interview and Family Tree

I conducted the interview with my mother. We have a very large family tree. My mother was born in Van Nuys California to my Grandmother Donna Hart stated on my family tree.  My mother’s mom and father divorced while my grandmother was pregnant with my mom. My mother was raised alone by my grandmother and didn’t even meet her father till she was 18. The while family tree listed below my mother had no idea about till she was 18. She lived a life mostly alone and spending time with friend since my grandmother worked 40 to 50 hours a week for the studios. My mother was raise by her great aunt while by grandma was at work till she was eight years old. Once my other great aunt died she stayed with friends during the day until she was old enough to stay home alone. My mother‘s ethnic backgrounds is half Italian and English, Irish, Swedish, German and Norwegian.

I felt the interview was very comfortable because my mother and I are so close. There were a few things that my mom was unsure about and she had a stuff time because she didn’t meet her dad till she was 18 which still is a sad thing for her to discuss. She is close to a few people on the family tree but because my mother (EGO) has so many half brother and sisters it makes it a little confusing. The interview was very informative and I learned things about my heritage that I didn’t know before. My mother lived a harder life than I even realized.

My family tree dates all the way back to 1828 and it has changed every much over the time of the tree.  The family started in Sicily and then migrated over and started buying real state and many convenient stores which made some of the family pretty wealthy. At the start of my family tree there were many children and for about 60 years everyone on the tree had at least 4 children but as time moved on there was less and less children born to each family ad a few people on the family tree didn’t have any children.  Towards the end of the tree most people only had two children including my mother. Because my mother was married into the family she isn’t close to most of the people because my Grandmother and grandfather got divorced before my mother was even born. Most of my family is Sicilian except for my father’s side. There are many rifts between the family due to my Grandfather Vince with is the EGO’s father. He was married many times and has many different children with many different women some he wasn’t married too; this was looked down upon in my family. There are some ethnic differences because half of my family has money and the other half doesn’t so this also created tension and decided where most of the family lived. My mother was close to great aunt Jerri and two half sisters Suzy and Serafina.

Do you know the relatives on both your mother and father’s side of the family well? 

Yes, I know both sides of my family pretty well. I know my father’s side a lot better because we always get together for family functions and we are all pretty close. I did the interview with my mother because I don’t know her families side as well and I thought it would be interesting to learn more about it. In know my mother’s: father, mother, a few half sibling, aunt and a few cousins but most of them I have never met before.

Do you socialize equally with them?  Why or why not? 

I socialize more with my father side of the family because many of them live closer and I grew up knowing all of my cousins, aunt and uncles on my father side so I feel very comfortable with them. On my mother’s side (EGO) I only know a few people and we use to get together with them every year on Christmas Eve but some people have moved away and  my one great aunt who would host all the parties has gotten a lot older and its harder for her to host there parties anymore.

Which members of your family have the most influence in decisions made in the family? 

Explore why this is the case.

On my mother’s side my Grandma and Great Aunt Jerri would plan all o the events that would get the whole family together. At this time my grandma and Aunt Jerri are not on speaking terms so this had really made it hard for my family to see my mother’s side. On my Dad’s side him and his six brothers and sister always come together and have family meetings to make group decisions, which I find to be a great thing. I have always thought the communication is the key.

Are family members who marry into the family treated differently than members born into the family?

Yes, people born into the family are treated differently than people who are married in. My grandmother wasn’t treated very well by the Turdo family for many years until my mom went looking to find her family. Once they all meet my mom they welcomed my grandmother back into the family but before my mom went looking for her father my grandmother hadn’t spoken with the Turdo family in 18 years. I found this part of the interview to be very sad because on my Dad’s side of the family everyone welcomes everyone newcomer on with open arms.

Are their different attitudes towards family members based upon gender?  Describe

.

Yes, and No, my family started out pretty traditional where the women cooked, cleaned and raised the children; whereas the men went out and worked. This whole concept changed over the years because of divorces and having children out of wedlock. For the most part now my family treats every gender as equals.

What insights have you learned about your family through this exercise?

I learned a lot about my family. I never realized how many family members that my mom even had. I thought it was really cool that my mom had a whole family tree that we could build together. My great aunt has been working on the family tree for a few years so everyone in our family can see where they came from. It was very cool to make my own version of the family tree. I also learned that I am Norwegian form my father’s side which I didn’t know before.  I learned a lot about my mother childhood that I didn’t know before and some of it I had forgotten. I always think it is good to know where you come from!

Turdo family tree

IGNAZIO TURDO & ANNA D’AGOSTINO

The Family Tree for my Mother's side! (EGO)

Parents to Giovanni & Angela Turdo – (m. 7/29/1828) in Monreale, Italy

GIOVANNI TURDO & ANGELA TERZO

They both struggled to feed and support 9 children.  Angela was a strong personality and supported her family with her wood-fire oven that she charged for people to use in making bread, etc.  She was taken out of an orphanage at apprx. 14 yrs of age by her soon to be husband for immediate marriage.  Rumors say Angela was partly Arab.  She died approx. in her 80s.)  Giovanni was a livery maker (ie. fancy saddles, carts for horses).  Was self-confident/strong personality and known to have a hot temper.  He exercised by walking every day from Monreale to Palermo approx. 3 miles.  He lived to be 85 yrs old.

                                                9 Children

1.   Ignazio – (b. 1/9/1884) (m. Bettina Colletta)

a.    (F) Angela (died old)

b.    (M) Giovanni

c.(F) Michele

2.   (F) Anna (“Zia Ignica”) – (b. 11/15/1885) (m. John Madonia)

a.    No children

3.   Guiseppa (“Pepina”) – (b. 7/4/1887) (m. Rosario Sivigla) (d. at 94)

4. (M) Paolo – (b. 4/6/1891)( d. c. 1990) (m. Rose Bretagna d. 1984 remarried Sam LaMantia 2^nd m. had Franco)

a.    (M) John Paul Turdo (“Big John”) (b. 11/11/1920)(d. 2001) (m. 19945 Donna (M) Lee King  b. 2/20/27 d. 1994 ) John remarried Lauri Cartwright

                                          i.        (F) Marcia Rose Turdo (b. 11/6/1946)(m. 1968 Jay C. Brandon  b.12/30/46) no children

                                        ii.        (F) Paula Marie Turdo (b. 11/6/1946) (m. 1969 Bruce L. Williams)

1.     (M) Brian Travis William (b. 8/22/1970) Paula remarried Woody Matlock

2.    (M) John Paul Williams (b. 11/2/74) (m. Bigette A. Hesketh 2000)

·         (M) Christian John Williams (b. 10/19/1997

·         (M) Hunter Alexander Williams (b. 11/20/2001)

·         (M) Landon Ryder Williams (b. 11/27/2008)

·         New Baby Due (b.11/20/11?)

                                       iii.        (F) Donna Lee Turdo (b. 8/21/1952 (m. 1978 Jan D. Affinito) Donna remarried Petre La Pella

1.    (M) Rudy Travis Affinito (b. 6/8/1980) no children

                                       iv.        (M) Franco (1/2 Brother) (b. 1940) (m. Rosa)

5. (M) Gaspara – (b. 1/15/1893) (m. Rosalia Macaluso)

a.    (F) Angela – (m. Francesco Coniglio)

                                          i.        (M) Ignazio

                                        ii.        (M) Rino

                                       iii.        (F) LaLa

                                       iv.        (F) Rosalia

                                        v.        (F) Silvana

b.    (M) Giovanni – (b. 3/11/23) (d. 1/31/2005) Heart disease, High Blood Pressure, diabetes (m. Crocifissa (“Fina”) Badiagiacca) (b. 9/8/30) (d. 1/23/1991) carpool tunnel, breast cancer) (They were first cousins and eloped)

                                          i.        (F) (EGO’s second cousin) Rosalia Anna Turdo (“Rosanna”) (b. 5/18/59) carpool tunnel, thyroid, breast cancer (m. Fillipo Daniel Rabottini (“Philip)

1.    (M) Ercole (“Eric”) – (b. 3/4/95)

2.    (M) Marco – (b. 5/14/1998)

                                        ii.        (F) Silvana (b. 9/15/65) breast cancer (m. Scott Brownlie)

1.    (F) Amanda – (b. 7/17/91)

2.    (M) Jonathon – (b. 11/?/1994)

c.(M) Salvatora (“Toto”) (b. ______) (m. Maria ____________

                                          i.        Rino (m. Mecala)

1.    _________

2.    _________

                                        ii.        (F) Lilliana (m. ___________

1.    __________

2.    __________

d.    (F) Nina (b. ______) – (m. Giovanni Viola)

                                          i.        (F) Pia (m. Domenico (“Mimmo”) Billeci)

1.    (F) Annalisa

2.    (F) Valentina (b. ?/?1978)

                                        ii.        (M) Franco Viola (m. ___________ Caliste)

1.    (M) Giovanni

2.    (F) Nina

3.    _______

e.    Ignazio (b. 8/9/1935) – (m. Gioacchina (“Ina”) Giaconia (b. 7/29/1940)

                                          i.        (F) Mellody Lynn (“Linda”) (b. 8/10/1960) (d. 7/3/2003) diabetes (different mother)

                                        ii.        (M) Rino (b. 10/30/1966) (m. Caterina Clemente)

1.    (F) Laure (b. 11/25/1993)

2.    (F) Elena (b. 5/14/1997)

                                       iii.        (F) Letizia (b. 6/5/1968) (m. Francesco Stallone)

1.    (F) Celine

2.    (F) Erica

                                       iv.        Danielle (b. 5/31/1970) (m. Giusi __________

1.    (F) Andrea

2.    (M) Davide

                                        v.        (F) Diana (b. 10/28/1972) (m. Fabrizio Cinquemani)

1.    (F) Alessia

2.    __________

6. (F) Rosalia (“Rosina”) – (b. 9/30/1894) (m. John Colletta)

a.    (M) John (m. __________

b.    (F) Angelina (b. 1/9/1929) (m. Joseph Macaluso) (b. 12/17/1925)

                                          i.        (F) Anna Marie (b. 2/2/1952) (m. 11/25/2000 Michael Moore

                                        ii.        (M) Joseph, Jr. (b 12/15/1956) (d. ?/?/?) (m.  Pam Barnes) (d. ?/?/?)

1.    (M) Joseph Jr. (b. 3/11/?) (d. ?/?/?)

2.    (M) Paul (b. 12/15/?) (d. ?/?/?)

                                       iii.        (F) Rosemaria (b. 11/9/1964) (m. 3/14/1992) Russ Anschultz (d. ?/?/?)

1.    (M) Brent (b.  6/18/1995)

2.    (F) Emily (b.  2/16/2003)

c.(F) Flora – (d. 2004 diabetes) (m. John Randazzo a baker)

d.    (M) Joseph (“Pino”) (m. Concetta) (“Connie”)

                                          i.        (F) Dollie (m. Robert Stokke)

                                        ii.        (F) Maria (m. ________

                                       iii.        (M) Joseph, Jr. (m.

e.    (F) Anna

f.     (M) Michael

7. (F) Benedetta (“Nina”) (b. 8/30/1896) diabetes

a.    (M) John

b.    (M) Paolo

c.(F) Angela

8. (M) Michelangelo (“Mike”) (b. 1/19/1900)(m. 6/26/1926)(d. 11/11/1957)(m. Serafina (F) Brettagna (“Fay”) (b. 1/1/1910) ( d.6/20/1975) Michelangelo  smoker heartattack

a.    (M) John (d. 2/25/72) (m. 6/1951 Marie Bonanno d. 12/25/00)

                                          i.        (F) Serena (m. Tom Ritchie)

1.    (F) Liane (b. 5/26/79)

            a.(F)          Myiana (b. 5/30/97)

b.    (M) (EGO’s father) Vince (b. ___________)(4 marriages) (Asthma, High Blood Pressure)

  1^st. m. Shirley (b. 5/2/27) (m. Rob Robinson)

ii.        (F) (EGO’s ½ sister) Serafina (“Fina”) (b. ________)(m. Chadwick Barrie)

1.(M)         Dion (b. 4/23/72) (m. Erin Denti)

·               (F) Chandee Barrie (b. 5/70/92)

·               (F) Ella Barrie (b. 2/20/2009)

·               (F) Cheyenne Barrie (b. 11/3/96)

·               (F) Hayley Barrie (b. 4/12/98)

iii.     (F) (EGO’s ½ sister) Suzy (b. ___________)(m. Rick Earnhart)

1.    (M) Eric Earnhart (b. 7/2/75)

2.    (F) Nicole Earnhart (b. 6/11/87)

- Haley Earnhart (b. 3/21/09)

3.    (M) Bryan Earnhart (b. 8/8/88)

  2^nd. m. Donna Hart (b. _____________) (Mother to EGO)

1.    (EGO) Pam Hart (b. 7/24/61) (m.(Father) Roy Johnson)

·               (ME) Heather Louise (b. 4/12/1985)

·               (BROTHER) Sean William (b. 8/15/1989) (asthma)

 Key

b. = born, m. = married, d. = died m. = male f. -= female EGO = mom