AUDREY R. GARGIULO
Matriarch
T H E I R H E R O S T O R Y
My Mother
by Mark Gargiulo
Instead of praying to Saint Anthony when something went missing, we always asked my mother to pray to him. If he is the patron of lost things, she very well may be the matron of lost souls.
Her virtues extended far beyond her reach, exhibiting the love and charity of a universal friend. She served as treasurer on the Arden Hill Hospital Auxiliary Board for 45 years and provided Meals on Wheels across Orange County. For a decade, she distributed communion at Valley View Nursing Home through her late eighties.
She gracefully handled the responsibilities of taking care of my father, raising seven children, and persevering through tremendous loss. My mother was never lonely and always made a point to befriend new people wherever she went, devoted to making others feel welcome until the end of her life. There was nothing more beautiful to her than the company of others, whether that was her husband, her children, her family, or new friends waiting to be made.
Mom dedicated her faith to life, and not the other way around. She was quietly devout while filling her days with everything life could offer. To be independent and not isolated, to lead without ego, and, most importantly, to savor every moment. The way she modeled charity, service, and commitment has left a lasting impact on everyone she’s known. It was impossible to feel alone around her.
Her legacy as our family’s matriarch is not exaggerated; it’s simply who she was. Her charity and kindness show that making a difference in others' lives is a privilege and a joy. We are here to share this beautiful life, and it starts with open arms.
H O N O R E D B Y
The Gargiulo Family