Mildred Berselli

Mildred ("Millie" for short) was born May 13, 1916, in New York City. Mildred's parents had immigrated to New York from Naples, Italy, in 1892. Mildred was the oldest of the seven children of Anthony and Mary Rosa, and Mildred lived in the New York City area for her entire life, primarily on Staten Island.

Because of the Great Depression, Mildred's formal education ended when she was 15 years old. She had to stop school so she could work in her family's grocery store. At age 21, Mildred married Frank Berselli of Staten Island, New York, and they were married for 52 years until Frank's death in 1989. Mildred and Frank raised three children on Staten Island, including their oldest son Robert Berselli, who has lived in the Portland area since 1971.

Mildred was a homemaker until her eldest child Robert started college, at which point she returned to the workforce, and she ultimately became a very accomplished legal secretary in Manhattan and then in Darien, Connecticut. Mildred's main interest in life was her family -- her extended family on Staten Island, her three children, and her 13 grandchildren. She loved to travel to see her grandkids, and usually made at least two trips per year out to Portland. Plus, she came out to help after the birth of each of the 6 Berselli grandkids in Portland.

Mildred passed away on September 9, 2006, from the effects of Alzheimer's disease.

Written by loving son Robert Berselli, M.D.

Locate on Walk:

• Naming Wall (Right Wall), 1-9