Lily Danna Battaglia, 89, of Beaumont, died July 3, 2009, at Dubuis St. Elizabeth Hospital.
A native of Beaumont, Lilly was born August 14, 1919, to Frank Paul and Lily Danna. She was one of fourteen children, eleventh in the birth order.
Lily attended St. Anthony School and graduated from Beaumont High School in 1937. She helped her father, Frank, operate Danna’s Grocery during World War II. She married the love of her life, Phillip Vincent Battaglia, on April 16, 1941, and remained happily married for sixty-six years.
Lily had a joy for life that was bigger than she was. She was co-owner and operator with her husband Phillip, of Danna’s Grocery, for forty years and also worked as the Assistant Manager at Evelyn Manning Gifts for twelve years. She was President of the St. Joseph Ladies Auxiliary, and chaired numerous fundraisers which included making biscotti (Italian cookies), St. Joseph Day altars, League of the Sacred Heart, Catholic Daughters of America, St. Anthony’s School PTA President, and volunteered at the Kelly High School library. Most of all, she was a wonderful mother and grandmother. The delights of Lily’s life were her husband, her children, and her grandchildren.
Lily’s favorite thing was to cook a traditional Italian meal every Sunday of pasta and meatballs with all the trimmings, and gather her children and grandchildren around the table. Everyone knew you could come to Memaw’s and enjoy a wonderful Sunday dinner.
Her Catholic faith and saying the Rosary everyday was very special to her, and an important part of who she was. Providing a Catholic education for all her children, though it was a sacrifice, was essential to her and her husband. Lilly was ever instilling these values in her children and passing them on to her grandchildren. She never met a stranger and was called upon numerous times to pray for others. She was a sweet and gentle soul who loved all and she will be greatly missed by her family and friends.
Her husband, Phillip; her parents; and eleven sisters and brothers preceded her in death
She is survived by her four children, Jo Marie Hebert and her husband Ronnie, Paula Atkins and her husband Bobby, Cindi and Phillip Battaglia, all of Beaumont, and Judy and Vincent Battaglia, of Lakewood, Colorado; ten grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; brother, Sam Danna; and sister, Nina Chirafis.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 10:00 a.m., Monday, July, 6, 2009, at St. Joseph Catholic Church with interment to follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park under the direction of Broussard's, 2000 McFaddin, Beaumont. A rosary will be recited at 6:00 p.m., Sunday, July 5, 2009, at the mortuary.
Special thanks to all the nurses on the second floor ICU at Memorial Hermann Beaumont Baptist Hospital and the nurses and staff of Dubuis Hospital of St. Elizabeth.
