ROSA DARIN 1915 - 1996 (aunt)

Rosa Darin

My dearest aunt Rosa Darin was born at a rural property called Fazenda Nossa Senhora d' Apparecida do Rio Verde, in the municipality of São José do Rio Pardo-SP.

In November 1927, when Rosa was 12 years old she moved to Marilia-SP with mother, father, 6 brothers, 5 sisters, a brother in law, two sisters-in-law, a few nephews and nieces, not to mention an uncle (Francesco Apolonio) and three cousins with a wife and child.

Rosa never got married. She had a few boy friends though; some of which she never failed to mention their names even in the 1990s when I made a point of talking to her about her youth. Among her more serious boy-friends I could mention Kaneno, who was a 'nissei' who adored her. I don't know why they never tied the knot but I may surmise that it must have been something related to race relations.

Rosa kept house for her old father until the end of his life. Rosa also helped raise a lot of her siblings' children notably João Baptista Darin Filho's son and 2 daughters.

Rosa was considered by many as a 'hoarder' and some criticized her for stashing 'useless' paper in suitcases and bags. Well, due to Rosa's 'hoarding' habits I was able to find out where the Darin Family originates from. Searching through Rosa's papers I found out her João Baptista Darin's real name was Marco Giovanni Battista Da Rin Zoldan, who was born in Vigo di Cadore, in the province of Belluno, in Italy.  If it wasn't for Rosa I would probably never have known it.

Rosa was a deeply religious woman until the last days of her life. She attended Mass almost daily. On Mondays she attended the 2:00 pm Mass at Marilia's Cemetery. I used to accompany her there  when I visited Marilia in the 1990s and after Mass we would visit sundry graves and auntie Rosa would tell me about their past lives.

When Rosa Darin died in 1996, I was living in Sydney, Australia. My cousin Hermina telephoned me to tell me the sad news and I made her promise me she would not chuck out the papers and photographs Rosa kept all her life. And here are some of the trove Rosa left us: 

a holy-card with Rosa's handwriting stating: Fazenda Apparecida do Rio Verde - março de 1925 - she was 9 years old then.

 Luiz Darin's Driver's License - 26 August 1928.

Marilia was a smaller place than Campos Novos Paulista in 1928.

This probably 1928; a 13-year-old Rosa Darin is on the left; I was told the boy wearing a cap on the right is Valdemar Darin who would be 7 ears-old then. The house was on Avenida Rio Branco; they moved to Rua Campos Salles not too long after this. 

  Luiz Darin ten years later in 1938 holding his son Wandyr; beside his wife Corina Lopes.

Same day in 1938 - proud aunt Yolanda Darin & uncle João Baptista  holding nephew Wandyr; Waldemar is on the background on the left. Rosa Darin is on the right, cut out of the picture.

Casa Riopardense was the hardware-store Giovanni Battista Darin opened on the corner of rua São Luiz & rua Minas Gerais (later rua 9 de Julho) when he arrived in Marilia in November 1927.

5 August 1959 the Catholic Church promoted the 'Enthronenment of the Sacred Heart' - which was basically the blessing of this picture stating the names of those who lived in the house. A priest helped by altar-boys and other parishioners would go into each Catholic household and bless the holy picture with frankincense and some prayers. It was a big event in Marilia that took a whole week to cover all the suburbs in the city. I remember we would eagerly wait for the procession to get near our house and once they'd left, we, children followed them like the Pied Piper of Merlin and enter other people's house to snoop!

pedra fundamental da Igreja de São Sebastião - 13 March 1960.

after so many years they finally open Colégio Cristo Rei in 1967.

Francisco Vidrik was Mr. João Baptista Darin's business associate for some time.

Sebastiana Macera's good-bye to Mary's Daughters Holy Union in 1936 in order to marry Octavio Darin, Rosa's brother. As one can see Rosa kept the holy card for 60 years.

Pascoal Macera & Adelina Giovanni Macera's 50th wedding anniversary in 1951.

Domingos Macera was married to Nina Darin, who died in 1972; tio Mingo died 9 years later in 1981.

Maria Macera was Mingo's oldest sister. She'd been married to Augusto Vieira who was João Amorim's boss at a shoemaker's shop.

As Rosa Darin was a Santo Antonio parishioner she was used to father João Baptista Toffoli activities. This was January 1949, the year I would be born.

Rosa Darin em 1990, still living in Marilia-SP.

Rosa Darin & Luiz Amorim AKA Carlus Maximus in 1990 at her house on rua 9 de Julho, 2008.

Rosa Darin in 1990.

Rosa preparing lunch. She usually took her own time, but lunch was ready by 11 o'clock.

America Darin, Luiz Amorim & Rosa Darin in 1990.

This was the last time I saw my aunt America Darin; she died later in the year. After America's death on 11 March 1990, Rosa was the last member of the Darin family left in Marilia. From such a large family that pratically grew along-side Marilia it was almost unbelievable that Rosa was the last remaining member.

Rosa died on 29 June 1996 a cold night. She was 80 years old and almost reached her 81st. According to accounts she died peacefully in her sleep in her own bed, in her own bed-room. She used to pray to have a 'quiet death'... and that's what she got it in the end. God bless her soul!  

Rosa Darin in a post-tinted black-and-white photograph.

4 shots of life in Marilia in the mid-1970s. Rita de Cassia Batista, her mother Maria Redondo (holding her granddaughter Ana Paula), Yolanda Darin (holding Herminia's son Rodrigo) and her sister Rosa Darin.