ALICE T. CAMPISANO passed away on December 17, 2013 in Petaluma. Beloved wife of the late Michael M. Campisano. Devoted mother of Mark Campisano (Kim) of Laguna Niguel, California, and David Campisano (Martha O'Hayer) of Petaluma. Cherished grandmother of Eleanor, Nicholas, Jonathan, and William Campisano. Loving sister of the late James, Mary, Jack, Joe, and Thomas Moylan (an infant). Survived by numerous nieces and nephews.
Age: 84 years.
Alice was born in Norwood, Massachusetts - the first in her family to be born in a hospital - but she was reared and educated in East Walpole, graduating in 1947 from Walpole High School. She was accepted to the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, but was unable to attend because of her family's lack of funds to send a girl to college. Instead, she went to work at the telephone company, as a switchboard operator, in order to help her brother attend Boston College.
On October 25, 1952, Alice married the love of her life, Mike, and together they enjoyed 61 years of marriage, until he passed away earlier this month, on December 4th.
Once her boys were in grade school, Alice went back to work, this time as a bank teller; she retired from the bank over thirty years later. Alice's work at the bank was immortalized in the 1973 film, "The Friends of Eddie Coyle," starring Robert Mitchum. The film involved a bank robbery; Alice's bank was chosen to be robbed, and she was the teller handing over the money. Alice's other contribution to the entertainment industry was as a contestant on "The Price is Right," where she won a toaster that continued to work well into the 21st century.
In her spare time, Alice enjoyed playing cards and watching game shows. She also relished the occasional trip to Las Vegas, and once hit two royal straight flushes on the same day.
Above all, Alice was devoted to her family. Her two sons remember her as wonderfully loving and self-sacrificing. She worked hard throughout her entire life, and contributed to the higher education of three generations of her family: her brother; her two sons; and her grandchildren. As a mother, she worked tirelessly to instill in her boys the habits of hard work, deferred gratification, and self-effacement. Mark believes that any success he's had in life should be credited directly to his Mom. David, more simply, called her "the best Mom ever."
She was delighted to move to Petaluma in May 2013, to be closer to her family. Her time enjoying California was regrettably brief, but her sons are consoled by the fact that she has now been re-united with their loving father. Alice will be fondly remembered, and greatly missed.
Memorial services will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Petaluma, 416 Payran St., Petaluma, CA 94952. Family assisted by PARENT-SORENSEN MORTUARY & CREMATORY, Petaluma.