Silvana Darretta

DARRETTA, John 03/03/1921 - 07/06/2016 DARRETTA, Silvana 02/25/1925 - 07/09/2016 Long time Tucson residents John and Silvana Darretta passed away in early July of this year. John was a native of New York and moved to Tucson in 1955 because of his asthma. Silvana was born and raised in Brescia, Italy. The two met in 1944 when John was serving in the US Army and was stationed in Italy. John was driving an Army Jeep with a fellow servicemen when they came upon two young Italian girls hitchhiking. John gave the two a ride home and only when they stopped did he tell the girls that he spoke Italian and had understood everything they said about him. He asked Silvana if he could see her again and she agreed to meet him again the next day even though doing so was dangerous at the time as Italians were forbidden to mingle with the US "invaders". After he was discharged, John returned to New York and began saving money to pay for Silvana's passage to the United States. After a year he had saved enough money to pay for her voyage and in 1946 she came to New York and they were married in July 1947. Silvana quickly learned English and became a translator for the Italian embassy in New York. By 1955 John's asthma had worsened to the point that his doctor advised him to move to a drier climate. John left New York and Silvana behind in 1955 and journeyed to Tucson where he was quickly able to find work in his craft mechanical systems. Once he had found work, Silvana moved to Tucson and worked in various secretarial and modeling positions. Through her modeling work Silvana eventually met Earnest Silva and in the early 1960s they opened a women's clothing boutique that eventually expanded to three stores. Silvana ran the stores and with her warm and engaging personality quickly made many friends and the stores became very successful. After Earnest Silva retired Silvana operated the stores until about 2005. John is survived by one brother in New York and many nieces and nephews. Silvana is survived by two brothers both of whom still live in Italy, as well as many nieces and nephews who also reside in Italy. John and Silvana's ashes will be buried in the Darretta family burial plot in New York. Arrangements entrusted to ADAIR FUNERAL HOMES, Dodge Chapel.