Odilia Ramelli

Odilia Ramelli of Soledad passed away at home, with her daughters present, on March 21, 2023, just shy of her 97th birthday. Odilia was born in the village of Moghegno, in Canton Ticino, Switzerland, on April 13, 1926, the second of five children born to Eva (Franscioni) and Pierino Osenda.

Odilia was raised with a strict work ethic, helping her parents in and outside of the house, and had fond memories of taking her beloved cows and goats up to the alps to graze; stories she related with great fondness.

She also studied and became a master seamstress, knitter, and craftsperson, making much of the clothing for her parents and siblings, and continued to do so for herself, and her own family (and their dolls and bears!) throughout her life. Her stunning hand-made sweaters will be treasured and passed down for years to come.

Odilia arrived in the Salinas Valley in 1950, part of the last group of Swiss immigrants from Ticino, the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland. Upon arrival, she married the boy next door from home, Franco Ramelli, who had immigrated two years earlier and sent for her. After a wedding at St. Theodore's Catholic church in Gonzales, they lived in Ferndale, Calif., for one year, where their first daughter was born; and then moved to Soledad, which became their life-long home.

Together with her husband Franco, they opened the Soledad Bakery on Front Street in 1952, where they lived in an apartment above the bakery, and more children came in rapid succession. There, personal and bakery life kept them busy while raising a family and running a business. In 1957, Odilia and Franco moved from the bakery apartment to a larger home in Soledad and raised their six children.

Her endless energy and ability to multi-task served her well at home and at the bakery, which became the second home for the entire Ramelli family. She worked tirelessly, was always present for her children, and had dinner on the table every night at 6 p.m. sharp. Odilia and Franco were always taking their children for rides; not easy for a family of eight in a station wagon that only seated six! Visiting and entertaining friends was an important aspect of life. There were also wonderful years of taking their children back to Switzerland to spend time with family. Odilia was the glue that held it all together.

Her attention to detail as she raised a large family, while also running the Soledad Bakery with her husband, was impressive. She also took great pride in her organizational skills, collecting and saving letters, newspaper clippings, notes, and cards; all documentation that she knew would provide lasting historical memories for her family.

Odilia was the epitome of resilience. A young woman starting marriage and family life in a new country, and with a new language, she endured the trials and tribulations of life, the greatest being the loss of her two sons, with a fight and willingness to forge ahead that amazed all around her.

Odilia and Franco retired from the Soledad Bakery in 1993, after 42 years, and continued to travel back to Switzerland, took trips with the Kings and Queens of King City, and traveled to spend time with their children and grandchildren who were scattered around the world. She was also a long-time member of the Monterey County Swiss American Club, the Italian Catholic Federation, the Young Ladies Institute at Our Lady of Solitude Catholic Church, and Pro Ticino of Northern California.

Odilia's greatest joys were her six children, six grandchildren, and her beloved great-granddaughter, Francesca, who sang to her Bisnonna in her final hours, as she learned of yet another great-grandchild on the way.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Franco; and sons, Dennis and Frankie.

She is survived by daughters, Lisetta, Adriana (Dave Heywood), Yvonne (Steve Vosti), and Diane (Jim McConnell).

Also survived by granddaughters, Daniela Eckert (Paul), Lia and Gina Vosti; grandsons, Kelly, Nick and Casey McConnell; and great-granddaughter, Francesca Eckert.

As we were unable to gather for Franco's passing in 2020, services will celebrate and honor the lives of both Franco and Odilia. A Rosary will be held at Woodyard Funeral Home on 393 East Street in Soledad on Thursday, March 30 at 6:00 p.m., and a funeral mass on Friday, March 31 at 11:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Solitude Catholic Church on 235 Main Street in Soledad.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in their honor to the Alliance on Aging, 247 Main Street, Salinas, CA 93901 or www.allianceonaging.org

"Abbiamo avuto una bella vita." "We had a good life."

Published in Salinas Valley Tribune · March 28, 2023