Gabriella Onesti had 'elegance, class'
Gabriella Onesti, the mother of Ron Onesti, owner of the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles, has died at 91.
"She was known for her smile, her class and elegance. She always dressed to the 9s no matter what," Ron said of his mom, who was born in 1925 in Florence, Italy, and died Saturday. "She was a card shark. She loved to play poker. She really supported me every step of the way; her and my dad (Albert) were behind me." Onesti said his mother was diagnosed with cancer several months ago, and before that people could see her at Italian festivals he organized across the suburbs.
Onesti said one final memory with his mom was several weeks ago when she visited the "Club Arcada," a new venue at the Arcada modeled after a 1920s speak-easy and took in a show by The Lennon Sisters, who also dedicated songs to her.
"It was a closure for her. She had tears in her eyes and just couldn't leave," Onesti recalled. "Her legacy is what her kids are doing because she supported them so much."
Visitation is 3 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at The Elms Funeral Home, 7600 W. Grand Ave., Elmwood Park. A service begins at 9 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home and proceeds to a 10:30 a.m. Mass at the Church of the Holy Ghost, and interment at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, Illinois. For more information, call (708) 453-1234 or visit elmsfh.com.