Florence Marshall had three children (one deceased) and has 10 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and 9 great-great-grandchildren.
Barbara Caliendo, her daughter, had five children and has 12 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. This is the factual tale of two of their loving, living family tree branches.
Left to right: Diane Oprea, Michael Pedraza, Barbara Caliendo, Jennifer Stover, and sitting Forence Marshall. (Photo provided)
Barbara Caliendo, 76, a resident of Neighborhood 28, and her mother, Florence Marshall, 97, a resident of Elmhurst, can also claim a second family tree branch of five living generation members. These two branches include four females and one male on each of two limbs.
The matriarch, Florence, has recently been diagnosed with the possible onset of Alzheimer’s disease; her daughter, Barbara, has in recent years developed a multitude of health-related problems.
For these reasons, Barbara feels compelled to tell the story of how two of her five children and their children have continued these two extraordinary chains of five generations.
Our first familial intergenerational link shows 82 years that separate great-great-grandmother Florence from her great-great-grandchild Michael Pedraza, who is now 15 years old.
Florence was 21 years old when she gave birth to her oldest child, her daughter Barbara. Barbara, second generation, was 24 years old when she gave birth to her third child and only daughter, Diane Oprea. Diane, third generation, had her first-born of two daughters, Jennifer Stover, when she was 20 years old. Jenny, fourth generation, gave birth to her only child, Michael, the fifth generation, when she was 17 years old.
Our second familial intergenerational link shows 88 years that separate Florence from her great-great-grandchild Anna Matzen, who is now nine years old. Again Florence, first generation, was 21 years old when her daughter Barbara was born. Barbara, second generation, was 18 years old this time when she had her first son, James Caliendo. James, third generation, became a father at 22 years old with the birth of his first of three children, daughter, Sarah Matzen. Sarah, fourth generation, became a mom at 27 years old with the birth of her first of three children and the only girl, Anna, fifth generation.
Florence, a former housewife and milliner who had many part-time jobs, recently moved into Elmhurst Extended Care Facility. Her great-great-granddaughter, Jennifer, who works in insurance, lives with her son, Michael, a South Elgin High School student, in Bartlett. Barbara’s daughter, Diane, an Alexian
Brothers Hospital Scheduler, and her husband, Peter, bought the Sun City house next door to her mother and father, Frank Caliendo, now deceased, so that they could help their parents when necessary.
They now faithfully watch over Barb, a former housewife and realtor of 23 years, and her poodle, Max. Barbara states that many other family members also “keep tabs on her” when they visit her and make many frequent phone calls.
“Mom and Dad were love, and we are a family, therefore, full of love,” Barbara said.
“Grandmother [Florence] is the most religious person I know,” Michael said. “When I visited her and Grandpa many years ago [after they had both moved to Roswell, NM], upon my leaving, she made the sign of the cross on me to wish me a safe journey.”
Another Michael, Barb’s great-grandson, is planning to spend a week while he is on Spring Break to help his great-grandmother Barbara when her caregiver can’t be there for her.
“I saw Michael [Pedraza] born in Elmhurst Hospital’s Birthing Room,” Barbara said. “That was really special!”
“I think the benefit is in the experience of those who came before us…. Sometimes it’s all about the simplicity of times past,” Diane said on the assets of a five-generation family. “The ways of old have proven effective in us, the result of that instruction.”
Barb could immediately identify a common interest between the generations.
“Our love of music,” she said. “While my mom had a beautiful singing voice and was in a choir until recently, many of the rest of my family played the piano. My daughter, Diane, is even self-taught and to this day still has a beautiful piano in her house.”
“We have all strived to provide for our families through our personal contribution of ‘self’ throughout our lives,” Diane said. “We are very similar in the area of giving oneself for the benefit of others.”
Barbara added that her family tries to see each other as often as possible.
“The last big occasion occurred this past February 16, when 17 family members including a few friends celebrated my mother’s 97th birthday,” she said. “The occasion included the sharing of birthday cake, punch, and, of course, gifts for my mom.”
Barbara sparkled as she thought of that day’s highlight:
“In the beginning of February, with my mom’s difficulty in thinking recently discovered, it was just great to see how Mom recognized almost everyone there, especially family.”
“I think for me, personally, it was the love that was reciprocated to all of us that day through Grandma’s smile,” Diane said.
