I have a lot of very fond memories of my Uncle Walter. He was very present during my childhood, as it seemed like he was best friends with my grandpa, Bob Azzari. I was raised by my Grandpa and my Aunt Norma in Hawthorne. I was 15 when my grandpa died. After that it felt like I was ripped away from the rest of my family, that everyone forgot about me Now as an adult at nearly 40 years old, I realize that there were circumstances at the time that caused the rift, that it was not my fault, that it was not due to any malevolence or ill will. I simply drifted apart from the family due to elements out of my control as a teenager. I wish this was not the case. I wish, as I'm sure many people do, that I could turn back the hands of time and spend more time with the people who I no longer can spend time with. I could have made it work if I knew at the time how important it would have been to maintain that connection. I could have asked for phone numbers. I did reach out to my Uncle Walter a few years ago, it couldn't have been too long before he passed away. I spoke to him on the phone. He told me that he made a promise to my grandpa Bob that no matter what happened, if I needed anything that he would be there. I told him that I would have liked to visit him and Aunt Pat. He told me that he wasn't feeling very well, that it might not be the best time, but that if he started to feel better that he would be happy to see me. It wasn't much longer after that that I found out through someone else's post on Facebook, because none of the family maintained any familial relationship with me directly, that he had passed away. Something similarly happened with my Aunt Norma. I think I was about 19 when she passed. Maybe 20. She had been losing her memory for years. Every time I want to go see her, because she is one of the people who raised me, and I did love her very much, she would call me Lisa, confusing me from my mother. I was accused by a long time friend and neighbor of hers for never having come to visit her, for forgetting about her. I never did. I visited her and she didn't remember me but I still went. I have a lot of bitterness about the way a lot of things went, and a great sense of sadness and loss, as well as some betrayal by certain, still living individuals. That isn't the point here, though. I miss my grandpa, my aunt, and my Uncle Walter very much. I also miss my Uncle Pete who was another one of their brothers and was regularly in my life, along with his wife Aunt Celia who tragically passed away in a car accident when I was still a child. I still seldom have dreams of being in my Aunt Norma's house with all my family who would come to visit so often. I have dreams of the family reunions we would have in Hawthorne. Walter Azzari was the last of a generation that I remember always having a smile and radiating with great exuberant love. I don't care if anybody reads this. They probably won't, it's been 2 years and some months since uncle walter has passed. But maybe in some way he himself might see this, in whatever way the afterlife works, and he knows that I never stopped loving him, or any of the great people that I had there to give me a fantastic childhood. I visited the Catskills recently, the place where my Grandpa built a house, and Uncle Walter would often come to spend time. The house has changed a lot in the 20 years since I last saw it for myself. It's been through a few hands and has been hugely renovated, but just being there brought back so many memories. It's why I Googled Uncle Walter's obituary today, and why I'm here writing this to the ether, or maybe just for myself, for some sense of closure that was not privy to me by way of attending funerals or wakes that I was never invited to or informed of. I miss you all so much. I love you

My dear Uncle Walter, Now that you are a citizen of heaven, you are at Peace with the Lord. I know you are sharing your love with all your siblings, your mother Enea, your father Ciro, all your brothers and sisters and friends that past away. Uncle Walter was my godfather when I was baptized in the Catholic Church. Since he lived in south NJ I didn't see him often but when I did see him at family reunions, picnics and at many BBQ's at Aunt Normas house we had a lot of laughs. Uncle Bobby told his jokes and funny stories when they were kids we all were amazed at the things that did. One fond memory I had with Uncle Walter and Uncle Almo was the trip we took to Vermont. He was so happy that he got to see his cousins at Lertola's Toyota car dealership. These cousins he hasn't seen in years. After a brief visit we went to the Vermont Marble Company where his father Ciro, his uncles and my father Hugo worked and toured the museum. He would listen, as I did, to the stories that Uncle Almo told us about the working conditions in the marble shop. We both learned a lot. Then I drove them to a nice restaurant and shared more stories and had a great dinner. Uncle Walter May you Rest in Peace with everyone in heaven. You will be missed. Love your nephew Gary.

Please accept our deepest condolences for your family's loss.