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Coletta Funeral Home

Long before Chicago’s Chinatown became Chinatown, the corner of 22nd and Wentworth was home to the Michael Coletta Sons Funeral Home.  As Chinatown evolved, the Coletta family moved the operation to 79th Street.  About five years ago, the Coletta sons moved the business back towards Chinatown, settling on 31st Street near their childhood home and friends.

I met the twin sons, Michael and Mariano Coletta, at a Chinatown event.  They bid hundreds of dollars on a Fox Chicago studio tour with me to benefit the Organization of Chinese Americans.  They’ve been dear friends ever since.  Through the years, Patrick Elwood and I have grown to love them and their families – gathering for an annual holiday dinner that will never be the same.  When I tell people that some of my best friends from Chinatown are Italian, I’m not kidding!

Today, we gathered with the Coletta family for the funeral of Mariano, who most of us called “Morrie”. He died suddenly of a heart attack last week at the age of 66.  At the mass, I was touched to be told, “Nancy, come sit with us.  You are part of the family.” Tears were flowing as Morrie was remembered as an “instrument of happiness”.  It’s true. He was a born prankster – always kidding around about something.

I already miss Morrie.  I half expect one of his wacky phone calls at any minute.  I will never erase his number from my cell phone or the joy he brought to my life.