Individual Details
Irene Virginia Brosious
(31 Oct 1917 - 28 Apr 2009)
Biography
Irene Virginia Ciancio (nee Brosious) passed away on April 28, 2009 in Huntington Beach, CA. She was born in Chicago, Illinois on October 31, 1917 to Edward and Elise Brosious, the oldest and only daughter of three children. She married Arthur A. Ciancio on August 10, 1940, also from Chicago, Ill, and she inherited many brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law. They enjoyed many happy times at the numerous extended family gatherings which were held in Chicago and in California over the years. Irene and Arthur and their children moved to California in 1952, eventually settling in Covina, CA for many years. In 1972 they moved to Anaheim, CA to be closer to their children in Orange County.
Throughout her life Irene was a devoted mother whose family always came first. She was a very “hands-on” mother and grandmother, and her creativity extended to her expertise in sewing, baking and gardening. Chocolate was indeed her friend; she could make anything from fabric, and her roses when she lived in Anaheim were acclaimed and enjoyed by all her neighbors.
When her last child was in high school she went to work for the Singer Corporation for many years, eventually becoming the manager of the Singer Center in Garden Grove. Her expertise in demonstrating advanced sewing techniques and making store displays with intricate machine
embroidery was much appreciated by her employer and by the many women she taught to master these techniques, and she received many awards from the company for her work performance. She also later worked part time for See’s Candies, a job she much enjoyed. She made many good friends throughout her lifetime and enjoyed playing cards, bridge and Scrabble with them and with family members. In her senior years she volunteered at the Anaheim Senior Center, where she oversaw the making and distributing of charity quilts for hospitals and rest homes. She was very proficient and organized, and under her leadership the Center was able to produce a lot of quilts.
Arthur passed away in 1988, and shortly thereafter she moved to Huntington Beach, living over the next several years at Landmark Adult Living Center, Carmel Village Assisted Living Center and eventually at a Huntington Elder Care facility.
Throughout her life she was a great friend to many and helped her neighbors and her community whenever she could, mostly in a quiet way, and of course she was always a source of support to her family. Irene is survived by her children, Arthur A. Ciancio, Jr. (Roxann) of Huntington Beach, Arlene Somerville (Gary) of Huntington Beach, CA, Gloria Ciancio (Gerry) of Orange, CA and Valerie Parmenter (Dennis) of Highland, CA. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Lisa Ciancio Roberts, John Somerville, Jennifer Ciancio Todd, Timothy Sumner and Ryan Somerville, as well as by her many great-grandchildren. Her surviving sisters-in-law
include Mrs. Marion Brosious of Chicago, IL, Mrs. Josephine Ciancio of Covina, CA and Mrs. Rose Faciana of Santa Maria, CA, as well as many nieces and nephews.
Private interment was held on May 15, 2009 at Harbor Lawn-Mt. Olive Memorial Park in Costa Mesa, with services held at the same location on May 17, 2009. She was a wonderful mom, grandmother and friend and will be very much missed by all who knew her.
Irene Virginia Ciancio (nee Brosious) passed away on April 28, 2009 in Huntington Beach, CA. She was born in Chicago, Illinois on October 31, 1917 to Edward and Elise Brosious, the oldest and only daughter of three children. She married Arthur A. Ciancio on August 10, 1940, also from Chicago, Ill, and she inherited many brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law. They enjoyed many happy times at the numerous extended family gatherings which were held in Chicago and in California over the years. Irene and Arthur and their children moved to California in 1952, eventually settling in Covina, CA for many years. In 1972 they moved to Anaheim, CA to be closer to their children in Orange County.
Throughout her life Irene was a devoted mother whose family always came first. She was a very “hands-on” mother and grandmother, and her creativity extended to her expertise in sewing, baking and gardening. Chocolate was indeed her friend; she could make anything from fabric, and her roses when she lived in Anaheim were acclaimed and enjoyed by all her neighbors.
When her last child was in high school she went to work for the Singer Corporation for many years, eventually becoming the manager of the Singer Center in Garden Grove. Her expertise in demonstrating advanced sewing techniques and making store displays with intricate machine
embroidery was much appreciated by her employer and by the many women she taught to master these techniques, and she received many awards from the company for her work performance. She also later worked part time for See’s Candies, a job she much enjoyed. She made many good friends throughout her lifetime and enjoyed playing cards, bridge and Scrabble with them and with family members. In her senior years she volunteered at the Anaheim Senior Center, where she oversaw the making and distributing of charity quilts for hospitals and rest homes. She was very proficient and organized, and under her leadership the Center was able to produce a lot of quilts.
Arthur passed away in 1988, and shortly thereafter she moved to Huntington Beach, living over the next several years at Landmark Adult Living Center, Carmel Village Assisted Living Center and eventually at a Huntington Elder Care facility.
Throughout her life she was a great friend to many and helped her neighbors and her community whenever she could, mostly in a quiet way, and of course she was always a source of support to her family. Irene is survived by her children, Arthur A. Ciancio, Jr. (Roxann) of Huntington Beach, Arlene Somerville (Gary) of Huntington Beach, CA, Gloria Ciancio (Gerry) of Orange, CA and Valerie Parmenter (Dennis) of Highland, CA. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Lisa Ciancio Roberts, John Somerville, Jennifer Ciancio Todd, Timothy Sumner and Ryan Somerville, as well as by her many great-grandchildren. Her surviving sisters-in-law
include Mrs. Marion Brosious of Chicago, IL, Mrs. Josephine Ciancio of Covina, CA and Mrs. Rose Faciana of Santa Maria, CA, as well as many nieces and nephews.
Private interment was held on May 15, 2009 at Harbor Lawn-Mt. Olive Memorial Park in Costa Mesa, with services held at the same location on May 17, 2009. She was a wonderful mom, grandmother and friend and will be very much missed by all who knew her.
Events
| Birth | 31 Oct 1917 | Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States |  | ||
| Marriage | 10 Aug 1940 | Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States - Arthur A. Ciancio | |||
| Death | 28 Apr 2009 | Huntington Beach, Orange, California, United States | |||
| Burial | 15 May 2009 | Harbor Lawn-Mt. Olive Memorial Park, Costa Mesa, Orange, California, United States |
Families
| Spouse | Arthur A. Ciancio (1909 - 1988) |
| Father | Edward Philip Brosious (1895 - 1963) |
| Mother | Elisa Bertha Amelia Harwig (1896 - ) |
| Sibling | Edward P. Brosious (1919 - 2006) |
| Sibling | Donald Walter Brosious (1921 - 1976) |
Endnotes
1. , Elsie Harwig in entry for Irene Virginia Brosious, "Illinois, Cook County Birth Certificates, 1878-1922" (N.p.: n.p., n.d.).