My father Cirillo Birri was born in a town called Vernasca in Northern Italy in the province of Piacenza and worked with his family of farmers. He was one of eight children and came to America at seventeen with his 15 year old brother Giovanni. He married Giovanna Ferdenzi In Italy when he was 25. He lived in the Burke Ave. section of the Bronx and moved to Yonkers in 1956 to a home he had built from scratch. He worked as a marble cutter and a foreman at Scalaro’s in the Bronx. He had three children all of whom attained college educations. His mother Matilde Ferdenzi was part of the family too. He belonged to an Italian Club called Van Nest and sang Italian songs in his deep, strong voice with his friends. He was the life of the party. Hunting for rabbits was a pastime of his and he enjoyed a rabbit and polenta dinner surrounded by family and friends. He had beagles throughout his life and they were great to have around. He also had a passion for his cars, a Buick and a Nash with push buttons to open the windows. He was a hard worker and in 1941 he bought a country house in Wappingers Falls, NY which he called his bungalow. He enjoyed his garden there. In Yonkers he enjoyed his small vineyard in the back and munched on the grapes. He made wine and had a wine cellar in the Bronx and had one built in his new home in Yonkers.
My father was a Renaissance man. I always remember his special presence and how great it was to talk to him in his later years. He is loved and missed by me and may he know God’s reward eternally.
My father was a Renaissance man. I always remember his special presence and how great it was to talk to him in his later years. He is loved and missed by me and may he know God’s reward eternally.
My father Cirillo Birri was born in a town called Vernasca in Northern Italy in the province of Piacenza and worked with his family of farmers. He was one of eight children and came to America at seventeen with his 15 year old brother Giovanni. He married Giovanna Ferdenzi In Italy when he was 25. He lived in the Burke Ave. section of the Bronx and moved to Yonkers in 1956 to a home he had built from scratch. He worked as a marble cutter and a foreman at Scalaro’s in the Bronx. He had three children all of whom attained college educations. His mother Matilde Ferdenzi was part of the family too. He belonged to an Italian Club called Van Nest and sang Italian songs in his deep, strong voice with his friends. He was the life of the party. Hunting for rabbits was a pastime of his and he enjoyed a rabbit and polenta dinner surrounded by family and friends. He had beagles throughout his life and they were great to have around. He also had a passion for his cars, a Buick and a Nash with push buttons to open the windows. He was a hard worker and in 1941 he bought a country house in Wappingers Falls, NY which he called his bungalow. He enjoyed his garden there. In Yonkers he enjoyed his small vineyard in the back and munched on the grapes. He made wine and had a wine cellar in the Bronx and had one built in his new home in Yonkers.
My father was a Renaissance man. I always remember his special presence and how great it was to talk to him in his later years. He is loved and missed by me and may he know God’s reward eternally.
My father was a Renaissance man. I always remember his special presence and how great it was to talk to him in his later years. He is loved and missed by me and may he know God’s reward eternally.
