1. i to share Erffl{faE FromPasBs rI
80.
Tacchini still lives on the
same property she and her
husband settled on in 1941.
The original dwelling had
been demolished a decade
ago and a newer manufac-
tured home was Put in its
place. There are a couPle of
outbuildings dating back to
the early 2Oth centurY
remaining on the ProPertY: a
shed and an outhouse.
But Tacchini insists theY
had indoor plumbing.
"That one was for when we
were working outside in the
garden," she smiled.
When the subject of her
seven sons comes uP, the ries as a lifelong resident o1 Klamatf F- ql'l.sa.=. ' ';1:;'--;
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s6o*s. Most of them, she
said, received a college edu-
cation - something she did
nothave.
"I'm very haPPY with
them," she said, beaming.
"ll,iving here] has given mY
children a lot of oPPortunitY
to do things theY wouldn't
have been able to do in ItalY."
Tacchini never returned to
her native land since immi-
prratins here as a child. But
6ne of'her sons, Jim, visited
her birthPlace about two
vears aso. she said. Tacchini
was borir in the small town of
Speciano in northern ItalY.
"Everything he knew from
mv countrY, I told him
ab"out," she iaid. "He reallY
enjoyed himself."
As for Tacehini, she is con-
tent to stay in Klamath Falls,
and hasn't wanted to live
anSnivhere else.
"tr like the climate and the
people," she said. "I have so
many friends here. I'm velY
slad-to be here and have the
Ipportunity in this land."
Three of her seven sons
still live locallY with families
of their own. All told, Tacchi-
ni is grandmother to 17 and
great-grandmother of eight.
One of her brothers still
lives in the area, too, with
nine children of his own, she
said.
Through her glow' Tacchi-
ni allows a hint of,'sadness.
Her two daughters have
since passed on.
"I have been alone here for
ouite some time. I wish mY
"hild""o
were closer, but
times have changed," she
lamented. "There's a lot of
fond memories. But the sad-
dest is losing mY daughters'"
Yet Tacchini keePs her
sPirits uP bY continuing to
tinker aiound the kitchen'
Caregiver DebbY G-uerr-ero
helpJ Tacchini to find her
waf, since her eYesight is all
bui'gone. She sets Tacchini
up witt all of the ingredi-
"it", "o
she doesn't have to
find them.
On SundaYs, Tacchini
kneads bread for familY and
friends. She'Il also choP the
nuts as Part of the sP-ecial
ingredients for her breads'
Tacchini enjoYs teaching
others manY of her time-hon-
ored reciPes, which she keePs
in her head. There's the
homemade ravioli she Pre-
pared for ThanksCrvinC tF:
past Year and her sPecial
Lrand of sPaghetti sauce --
which she calls "sugo sauce"
- among others.
Cooking has been a waY of
life for Tacchini.
"Trice a week we alwaYs
baked about eight loaves of
bread," she recalled' "It was
a large familY."
Tacchini's interests aren't
just limited to the kitchen,
ihough. She wants to helP
out i,ith the ironing and
washing whenever she can'
"I still want to do them,"
she said. "The troub-le is, I'm
tired now."
Tacchini is a survivor - a
oioneering woman who tran-
scended t[e hardshiPs of her
time to Provide a better life
for her children.
] r . . i .,,...ullr--Qr,.-Ei4q'.,vpr9, 4sYqr-
Itjninr.-.if*4rrfnFi$AffiHE#291n:ni.:
anotlter life to
As I look back, I
realize I was
luclry. I did
everything that
I wanted to do. I
wouldn't mind
'I just wish
there was
live; to do more.
n-
ir-
T-
a__
v
fi
b
n
s
a
living it again.
- Dena Tacchini
rned
lchini
lhrrd-
i,, You
i
lr" to
fears
iabout
,, .ji.
deprived an'dlalwaYs well
dressed," Guerrero said of
her client. "AII of her kids
had a chance to go to college.
That's prettY amazing for a
woman to accomPlish."
In spite of the obstacles
she faced, Tacchini has man-
aged to cultivate a rich col-
lection of memories to Pass
on. And she has no regrets
about the life she has lived.
"I just wish there was
another life to live; to do
more," Tacchini said. "As I
look back, I realize I was
luckv. I did everything that I
*rrrted to do. I wouldn't
Dena Tacchini laughs recalling some of her fondest memo-
See SllARE.Pqge 9
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