Jenny Poliandro

We prayerfully remember and reflect on the memory of Jenny Poliandro, who passed from this earth into eternal life on Monday, August 28th, 2023. Jenny was born as “Giovanna Maria Rosa Bazzani” on May 24, 1933, in a small Italian farming village within the Parma region, called Borgo Val di Taro. Her father, Lazzaro, brought her, her two older brothers, Joseph and Peter, and her beloved mother Desolina (“Daisy”) to New York City in 1934. While her father worked his way up from being a dishwasher, to becoming the head chef at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel’s restaurant, her mother raised her and her brothers within their modest tenement-styled home. While her home was poor in material goods, it was filled abundantly with her mother’s love. Her mother taught her what it meant to pour her entire heart into motherhood.

Jenny was a gifted artist. She worked briefly at Lord & Taylor’s. Throughout her life she drew sketches of fashion, even winning a design competition. This gift for design was passed down to multiple members of the family. She went on to marry her husband Peter Poliandro, and raised their four children, Joanne, Peter, Lars, and Frances. As her children grew older, she continued to devote all that she had in her life to her children, and eventually also to her grandchildren. She never failed to keep track of every one of her children’s and grandchildren’s lives over the years. She was known to keep every photo and card anyone ever gave her, which she cherished dearly. She walked through life with crosses that were often heavy for her to bear, but she demonstrated for us all what it means to keep seeking God’s love and ultimately allow it to lighten a heart’s yolk in the end. We are grateful for the gift of her life and she will always be in our hearts and prayers.

In lieu of a wake, the family will be planning a graveside memorial service in the coming months.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Jenny Poliandro can be made to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (www.stjude.org).

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Jenny Poliandro, please visit our floral store.