Online Obituaries Santina (Passarello) Bonaparte, 91, of Brockton, passed away on January 13, 2017 at the Brockton Health Center. She was the wife of the late Guido F. Bonaparte. Santina was born in Nicastro, Italy on February 11, 1925. She had 5 older brothers who died in infancy and a sister, Dora who is still living in La Spezia, Italy. She was the daughter of Salvatore Passarello and Francesca (Rittorto) Passarello, who were stonemasons and storekeepers. During WWII, their country was devastated by the fascist government of Benito Mussolini and the war which he instigated. They lived in constant fear of bombings and starvation, and many nights they went to bed hungry and under the constant sound of bombs exploding. It was during WWII that she met and fell in love with an American Staff Sergeant Guido F. Bonaparte. Guido courted her and when he was discharged from the Army they continued their romance through letters. Finally, in the spring of 1947 Guido proposed marriage and preparations were made for Santina to emigrate to the USA and they became man and wife on July 27, 1947. Imagine all the courage required for a 22-year-old woman to totally break from everyone and everything in her family and culture to gamble on a totally new world. She adapted to her new country very well earning her high school citizenship course and becoming a Naturalized citizen in 1956. She became employed as a seamstress and was a lifetime member of the International Ladies Garments Workers Union. She was a lifetime member of the Anita Garibaldi Lodge ofd the order of the Sons of Italy of America. Santina had a son James, who was an only child until he was 20 years old. In 1968, Santina gave birth to a daughter, Mary Jane. Santinas greatest interest was cooking and hosting lavish dinner parties for all her friends and relatives. She is survived by her children, James Bonaparte and Mary Jane (Bonaparte) Cerone; her sister, Dora DeGattis from La Spezia, Italy; her grandchildren, Nicholas and Eleanor Bonaparte and James Cerone; her great-grandchildren, Jason & Brian Sutter and Isabella & Sophia Bonaparte. She is also survived by her countless nieces and nephews. Funeral Information A Funeral Service will be held in the Russell & Pica Funeral Home, 165 Belmont St., (Rt123) Brockton on Friday, January 20th at 10:00AM. Interment will follow in the Calvary Cemetery, Brockton. Calling hours in the Russell & Pica Funeral Home on Thursday from 4:00PM- 7:00PM.