Ada "Nonna" Amalia Trapanese's Obituary
Ada Amalia "Nonna" Trapanese (née Muller), was born September 23, 1939, in Alexandria, Egypt. She died peacefully, surrounded by members of her family, on February 27, 2025, in Fort Myers, Florida.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 64 years, Giovanni B. Trapanese, who died peacefully on January 21, 2025, also in Fort Myers. She is survived by the couple’s children: Albert (Cheryl) Trapanese, Pierre (Patricia) Trapanese, and Monique Piscopo; their grandchildren Mandy (Dean) Pazin, Carly (Cody) Bandura, Nicholas Piscopo, Michael Piscopo, Julia Trapanese, Alexandra and Kristin Trapanese; and their great grandchild, Reef Pazin. Ada was born in 1939 to a large, multi-generational Italian family, all of whom had made Egypt their home before the start of World War II. As such, Ada grew up thriving amongst a vibrant and worldly community of both Arabs and Europeans, and their unique cultures. The beginning of her childhood was temporarily disrupted by WWII when all Italian males, including her relatives, were relegated to British internment camps. During these difficult times, Ada's mother and two aunts moved into a house with their children – Ada, her older sister, brothers, and numerous first and second cousins. This suddenly expanded family, with different nationalities and cultures, were all supported by the sisters’ propensity for sewing. And living so closely together under one roof they formed a very strong and enduring family bond that still survives to this day.
While growing up, Ada attended several schools and learned to read, write and speak several languages, including the Arabic language which she learned from an Iman. After the war and while still in Egypt, Ada and her family would travel with her father, Aldo, who was a well-known contractor involved in several significant projects throughout Egypt, Libya and Congo. She loved the post-war years in Egypt, but it all ended rather abruptly when the new Egyptian government and Arabist movement expelled nearly all foreign residents out of Egypt in 1956.
With this move, Ada’s life changed dramatically. Her extended family had resided in Egypt for over 50 years, but with weak links to Italy. Because of this, they ended up moving around the globe to resume their lives. One aunt went to Canada, another to Australia, while other family members went to Switzerland, France and Italy. When she was 17 years old, Ada's own family found their way to Milan, Italy, where she would find work to help support them. Utilizing her extensive language skills, she took a job as a secretary for an import/export business and later working for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at a U.S. Army Base in Livorno, Italy. It was at this Army base where she met the love of her life, Giovanni Trapanese, and it was love at first sight for both. They spent as much time together as they possibly could, conversing in French so that coworkers couldn’t understand their conversations. This led to French becoming their language of choice. Their love blossomed rather quickly, and Giovanni asked Ada's father for her hand in marriage. Her father agreed, but with the stipulation that Ada had to be at least 21 years old. Giovanni agreed, and they were married on September 24. 1960, the day after Ada’s 21st birthday.
Getting married and working for the U.S. government began their journey of a lifetime full of adventures. They moved to Turkey, where Ada quickly became fluent in the Turkish language. More importantly, Turkey was also where they started their own family. First came their sons Albert and Pierre, and then their daughter, Monique. They remained in Turkey for six years and then moved to Saudi Arabia, where they submitted immigration applications to the U.S. government. The applications were approved three years later, and the family moved to the United States in January 1970. They landed first in Washington, DC, but after just a few weeks Ada and Giovanni purchased a car and drove to Fort Myers, FL, where friends had told Giovanni a job would be available. They moved and settled in Fort Myers, but more adventures and opportunities would soon follow. They moved the family to Algeria for two years, where they would take trips deep into the Sahara Desert, along with holidays to reunite with her aunts, uncles and cousins in Italy and Greece. They moved back to Fort Myers for three years, then to Saudi Arabia for 10 years, Belgium for three years, and finally Cairo, Egypt for the last five years of their careers. Ada and Giovanni eventually retired to Fort Myers in 1995.
Ada’s strong commitment to her extended family remained intact wherever they lived. She passed along her passion for travel and living overseas, as well as her love of different languages and cultures, to her own children with trips to visit relatives in Australia, Canada, Lebanon, and France, as well as backroad trips throughout India, Asia, Europe and Africa. The “backroad trips” were, of course, to assuage Giovanni’s love of cars, driving and adventure. Each journey became an opportunity to learn, connect, and experience the richness of the world. She spent much of her life being the family “glue,” always reaching out relatives far and wide, and taking an interest in their lives.
Ada and Giovanni worked together and supported each other for 65 years, bringing their love for life and the world to their retirement home in Fort Myers, the community they fell in love with in 1970. Ada and her family quickly reconnected with St. Cecelia’s Catholic Church, devoting her time to the church and Catholic Charities Diocese of Venice, always seeking ways to uplift those in need. Her involvement in Catholic Charities’ annual Venetian Ball reflected her love for culture and celebration. She also enjoyed nearly all genres of music and loved to sing along to her favorite songs in the choir at Amavida Living in Fort Myers, where her and Giovanni spent the last two years of their lives.
Ada’s love for family was at the heart of everything she did. She cherished every moment spent with loved ones and worked tirelessly to support those around her in achieving their goals. As a teacher of the many languages she was fluent in, she loved all her students as much as they loved her. Many of them would spend countless hours with her, often visiting her at home, and more interested in “hanging out” with her over their own friends. Her legacy is one of warmth and generosity, along with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and familial connections. May her memory bring comfort to all her knew her.
A Memorial Mass will be held on March 15, 2025, For Ada and Giovanni Trapanese at 10:00 AM at St. Cecilia Catholic Church, located at 5632 Sunrise Dr., Fort Myers, Florida, 33919. Followed by a gathering to celebrate their lives and the impact they had on their family and community.
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