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November 8, 2012
Services
Friends are welcomed to visit the family on Monday, November 12, 2012 from 3:00 to 6:00 PM at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, NJ.
Funeral services will be held 9:00 AM on Tuesday, November 13, 2012 from the funeral home, then to Our Lady of the Valley RC Church, 630 Valley Road, Wayne where at 10 AM Funeral Mass will be offered by the Reverend Monsignor James O'Rorke.
Thelma M. Fernicola (nee Graham), age 90 of Wayne, died on Thursday, November 8, 2012.
Thelma was born in Cleveland, OH in the fall of 1922. The oldest of two children born to Clarence (1974) and Carrie (1978) Graham and a child of the depression, life had its challenges and Thelma’s family wasn’t spared. Her mother would make dinner for the family…..four pork chops…..two for her father, one each for her brother and herself and her mom would get the scraps from the bones if there were any. There were good times though too. Thelma’s father would take her to Cleveland Indian and Cleveland Brown games. It was at a Browns game where Thelma once had the great pleasure of meeting one of the team’s all-time great quarterbacks, Otto Graham. It wasn’t his fame that impressed her though; it was the fact that his last name was the same as hers!
Thelma’s last name didn’t stay Graham forever. She fell in love with a neighborhood friend named Albert Nowack and, in July of 1945, they married and she became Thelma Nowack. She enjoyed married life and together, Albert and Thelma welcomed their little baby girl. But six weeks into Sharon’s little life, tragedy struck in the Nowack family as Al died suddenly in an industrial accident at the concrete company where he was employed. Now a widow Thelma and Sharon moved back home with her parents and Thelma returned to her former job in order to provide for herself and her little baby girl.
Thelma had a friend who needed to go to New York City to see a specialist. Being the good friend that she was, Thelma decided to support her friend and travel with her for the doctor appointment. While waiting in the waiting room, Thelma struck up a long conversation with a young man who was at the same doctor being treated for injuries sustained while fighting during World War II. That young man’s name was Albert Fernicola. Thelma fell in love with the second Al in her life and they married on October 16, 1949 at St. Mary’s Church on Union Ave. in Paterson. After marriage, Al and Thelma settled in Paterson moving to Wayne in 1950 where Thelma remained until her passing. During their life together, the couple was blessed with the birth of four boys: Anthony, Albert, Alan and Robert.
Life in the Fernicola house was full of love with Al, the children and many dogs throughout the years, including Boots, Buffy, Foggy, Lady and Allie (Allie survives her and is very upset at her passing). Thelma got the dogs for the kids but she always ended up loving them the most. She loved them so much that when Robert moved out and took Foggy, she made Robert bring him back! The children were taught the necessary disciplines of life. They were awakened early every morning, even if they were out late the night before. She would often send them up Church Lane to the local Grand Union to get the ingredients for that night’s dinner. Like her mother before her, Thelma made sure her children’s needs came before her own. She was strict and could often be heard saying “whatever your name is, come here,” but even that came from a loving desire that her kids learn the responsibilities of life that often bring success.
In 1975, Thelma went to work for Celebrity, Inc. in Paterson as a bookkeeper. She stayed there until she retired in 1984. She loved to sew, knit, and complete crossword puzzles. Counted-cross stitch was a special talent she possessed. She loved taking care of her grandchildren so that her own children could work. A day with Grandma would be filled with TV, music, coloring books and crayons.
Thelma’s cousin Kathy Graham had engaged in a tenacious pursuit of the Graham family ancestry. That pursuit is credited with paving the way for Thelma becoming a member of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She was linked back to her ancestor John Lockwood who fought in the Revolutionary War and was extremely proud of his place in history!
Thelma’s life was firmly grounded in her faith. She was one of the founding parishioners of Our Lady of the Valley Roman Catholic Church of Wayne and a woman who prayed faithfully every day! She had countless prayer cards from friends and loved ones. She saved every one so she could pray for each person. As she grew older, it was difficult for her to attend the wakes of those who had passed. She would always ask one of her kids to be sure to bring home a prayer card so she could pray for the person. Even if it was someone her kids knew but she didn’t, she would pray. Her attitude was, “if they were important to one of my own children, then they were important to me.” Thelma also had a giant stack of other written prayers which she prayed faithfully. Great is her reward as she basks in her Lord’s loving arms!
Thelma is survived by her five loving children: Sharon La Scola of Wayne, NJ, Anthony V. (Butch) Fernicola and wife Onelia (Nini) of Corpus Christi, TX, Albert G. (Gray) Fernicola of Wayne, NJ, Alan M. Fernicola of Wharton, NJ and Robert J. Fernicola and wife Cindy of Haskell, NJ; eight dear grandchildren: Melanie, Amy, Brian, Lori, A. J., Taryn, Amber and Christine; her precious great-granddaughter Carlina; her dear sister-in-law Vida Graham of Oklahoma City, OK; her dear cousin Kathy Graham of Pine Brook, NJ; and her dear niece Tamar Graham-Scott of Oklahoma City, OK.
She was predeceased by her beloved first husband Albert W. Nowack in 1947, her beloved second husband Albert S. Fernicola in 1990 and her brother Robert E. Graham in 2009.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends are welcomed to visit the family on Monday, November 12, 2012 from 3:00 to 6:00 PM at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, NJ.
Funeral services will be held 9:00 AM on Tuesday, November 13, 2012 from the funeral home, then to Our Lady of the Valley RC Church, 630 Valley Road, Wayne where at 10 AM Funeral Mass will be offered by the Reverend Monsignor James O'Rorke.
November 8, 2012
Services
Friends are welcomed to visit the family on Monday, November 12, 2012 from 3:00 to 6:00 PM at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, NJ.
Funeral services will be held 9:00 AM on Tuesday, November 13, 2012 from the funeral home, then to Our Lady of the Valley RC Church, 630 Valley Road, Wayne where at 10 AM Funeral Mass will be offered by the Reverend Monsignor James O'Rorke.
Thelma M. Fernicola (nee Graham), age 90 of Wayne, died on Thursday, November 8, 2012.
Thelma was born in Cleveland, OH in the fall of 1922. The oldest of two children born to Clarence (1974) and Carrie (1978) Graham and a child of the depression, life had its challenges and Thelma’s family wasn’t spared. Her mother would make dinner for the family…..four pork chops…..two for her father, one each for her brother and herself and her mom would get the scraps from the bones if there were any. There were good times though too. Thelma’s father would take her to Cleveland Indian and Cleveland Brown games. It was at a Browns game where Thelma once had the great pleasure of meeting one of the team’s all-time great quarterbacks, Otto Graham. It wasn’t his fame that impressed her though; it was the fact that his last name was the same as hers!
Thelma’s last name didn’t stay Graham forever. She fell in love with a neighborhood friend named Albert Nowack and, in July of 1945, they married and she became Thelma Nowack. She enjoyed married life and together, Albert and Thelma welcomed their little baby girl. But six weeks into Sharon’s little life, tragedy struck in the Nowack family as Al died suddenly in an industrial accident at the concrete company where he was employed. Now a widow Thelma and Sharon moved back home with her parents and Thelma returned to her former job in order to provide for herself and her little baby girl.
Thelma had a friend who needed to go to New York City to see a specialist. Being the good friend that she was, Thelma decided to support her friend and travel with her for the doctor appointment. While waiting in the waiting room, Thelma struck up a long conversation with a young man who was at the same doctor being treated for injuries sustained while fighting during World War II. That young man’s name was Albert Fernicola. Thelma fell in love with the second Al in her life and they married on October 16, 1949 at St. Mary’s Church on Union Ave. in Paterson. After marriage, Al and Thelma settled in Paterson moving to Wayne in 1950 where Thelma remained until her passing. During their life together, the couple was blessed with the birth of four boys: Anthony, Albert, Alan and Robert.
Life in the Fernicola house was full of love with Al, the children and many dogs throughout the years, including Boots, Buffy, Foggy, Lady and Allie (Allie survives her and is very upset at her passing). Thelma got the dogs for the kids but she always ended up loving them the most. She loved them so much that when Robert moved out and took Foggy, she made Robert bring him back! The children were taught the necessary disciplines of life. They were awakened early every morning, even if they were out late the night before. She would often send them up Church Lane to the local Grand Union to get the ingredients for that night’s dinner. Like her mother before her, Thelma made sure her children’s needs came before her own. She was strict and could often be heard saying “whatever your name is, come here,” but even that came from a loving desire that her kids learn the responsibilities of life that often bring success.
In 1975, Thelma went to work for Celebrity, Inc. in Paterson as a bookkeeper. She stayed there until she retired in 1984. She loved to sew, knit, and complete crossword puzzles. Counted-cross stitch was a special talent she possessed. She loved taking care of her grandchildren so that her own children could work. A day with Grandma would be filled with TV, music, coloring books and crayons.
Thelma’s cousin Kathy Graham had engaged in a tenacious pursuit of the Graham family ancestry. That pursuit is credited with paving the way for Thelma becoming a member of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She was linked back to her ancestor John Lockwood who fought in the Revolutionary War and was extremely proud of his place in history!
Thelma’s life was firmly grounded in her faith. She was one of the founding parishioners of Our Lady of the Valley Roman Catholic Church of Wayne and a woman who prayed faithfully every day! She had countless prayer cards from friends and loved ones. She saved every one so she could pray for each person. As she grew older, it was difficult for her to attend the wakes of those who had passed. She would always ask one of her kids to be sure to bring home a prayer card so she could pray for the person. Even if it was someone her kids knew but she didn’t, she would pray. Her attitude was, “if they were important to one of my own children, then they were important to me.” Thelma also had a giant stack of other written prayers which she prayed faithfully. Great is her reward as she basks in her Lord’s loving arms!
Thelma is survived by her five loving children: Sharon La Scola of Wayne, NJ, Anthony V. (Butch) Fernicola and wife Onelia (Nini) of Corpus Christi, TX, Albert G. (Gray) Fernicola of Wayne, NJ, Alan M. Fernicola of Wharton, NJ and Robert J. Fernicola and wife Cindy of Haskell, NJ; eight dear grandchildren: Melanie, Amy, Brian, Lori, A. J., Taryn, Amber and Christine; her precious great-granddaughter Carlina; her dear sister-in-law Vida Graham of Oklahoma City, OK; her dear cousin Kathy Graham of Pine Brook, NJ; and her dear niece Tamar Graham-Scott of Oklahoma City, OK.
She was predeceased by her beloved first husband Albert W. Nowack in 1947, her beloved second husband Albert S. Fernicola in 1990 and her brother Robert E. Graham in 2009.
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