In loving memory of my mom, Adelene E. (Capizzi) Prisby

In loving memory of my mom

Adelene Prisby

October 30, 1924 ~ September 19, 2014

Our mom was strong, bouncing back from everything life threw at her, enduring pain like no one else. She was asked many times, by doctors and therapists - "on a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your pain?" and whether she answered "less than one" or "about seven or eight" her delivery was pretty much the same. Aches and pains? She said you had to go thru them, you had to deal with them in life.

And so here we are. My pain is a ten. And there's no hiding it.

I want her here... with me... selfishly I can seem to go nowhere else right now. But I know she prayed her whole life to be where she is now... with God.

I wonder about Heaven's gardens... are there weeds to pull, flowers to deadhead? At first I thought, no, it's Heaven - they would be pristine, unimaginable displays... but I'm thinking maybe they are just what she would have hoped for, glorious but also something she could nurture and tend to.

For as far back as my memory still allows I see her gardens. Flower gardens were her passion, and so everywhere she lived was left a more beautiful place. To live a full life and leave the world more beautiful - that is something we could all strive for.

~*~

Adelene E. (Capizzi) Prisby, age 89, of Zelienople, passed away on Friday, September 19, 2014, while under the dedicated care of UPMC Passavant Hospital in Cranberry Township. Born October 30, 1924, in Pittsburgh, she was the daughter of the late Matthew and Eleanor (Valentino) Capizzi.

Adelene was a devout and faithful member of St. Gregory Catholic Church in Zelienople for many years. She was an avid gardener whose green thumb was admired by so many. She truly lived for the next gardening season. Her artistic ability wasn't limited to just gardening; she was not afraid to try anything. Adelene had a love for music - opera from her Italian upbringing and in more recent years, Neil Young. Adelene dealt with and overcame what life threw at her, managing her diabetes, rebounding from back, hip, and heart surgeries, remaining independent in her apartment filled with plants and new craft projects. She loved the outdoors, feeding birds, long country rides, and walks in Moraine State Park. But flowers were her passion and she left the world a more beautiful place because of it. She will be dearly missed and lovingly remembered.

Adelene leaves behind to cherish her memory, her nine loving children, Adalie (Ray) Walker of Hudson, OH, Matt Prisby of Hilton Head, SC, Tessa (Mark) Begley of New Brighton, Bob (Nancy Cabot) Prisby of Sewickley, Lynn (Tim Bailey) Prisby of Pleasant Hills, Jeanne Prisby of Wexford, John Prisby of Manor Care-Bethel Park, Patty (Scott) Wolz of Ashburn, VA, and Gary (Peggy McMillan) Prisby of Carnegie; her sister, Rose Ivory of Zelienople; her two sisters-in-law, Helen Elder of Brentwood and Betty Capizzi of Denver; her 14 grandchildren, Gretchen and Chris Walker, Gerald (Billie) and David Prisby, Michael (Megumi) and Jenny Samuel, Katherine, Julie, and Eric Behr, Lauren and Emily Wolz, Kelsey, Lee, and Jesse Prisby; and three great-grandchildren, David Prisby, Bailey Prisby, and Akari Samuel. Adelene is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews, cousins, and cherished friends. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Matthew J. Prisby, who passed away on October 19, 2006; her daughter-in-law, Sheryl Prisby; her four brothers, Joseph, Sam, Tom and Anthony; and her two sisters, Josephine and Mary.

Friends will be received on Friday, September 26, 2014, from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at the BOYLAN FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICES, INC., 324 E. Grandview Avenue, Zelienople. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Saturday, September 27, 2014, at St. Gregory Catholic Church, 2 W. Beaver Street, Zelienople, with Father Lawrence R. Smith, celebrant. She will be laid to rest in Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Peters Township. In lieu of flowers, family suggests making a memorial contribution in Adelene's name to support the St. Gregory Catholic School, 2 W. Beaver Street, Zelienople, PA 16063.