The Life of SANTINA E. CERNIGLIA
Santina Cerniglia, born in Santo Stefano Di Camastra, Sicily, to Martino and Nicolina Attinello, passed away on May 6, 2023 at the age of 75. She was our matriarch with the quiet wisdom that comes from a peaceful existence in Christ. She was calm, loving, creative, funny, surprisingly competitive and she will be truly missed. She and her husband, Santo Cerniglia, also from Santo Stefano Di Camastra, Sicily, created a life together and filled it with family and friends.
She was a lifetime member of the Ladies Auxiliary at Victor Emmanuel Beneficial Society where she met lifelong friends that became extended family. She had three lifelong dreams: to own properties, to be a teacher, and to own a BnB.
Tina and her husband worked together to buy properties and her first dream was realized. As part of the first graduating class of Holy Name High School, Reading, PA, and, with only a high school diploma, she actually did become a teacher. She took a job as a cook for KinderCare Learning Center and became their matriarch, too, in a sense. When they opened an infant room, she was the obvious choice. To this day, her babies, now adults with children of their own, express how much they loved her. She loved them too, each and every one for over thirty years. She never could convince her husband to open a BnB so instead, she opened her home to her three grandchildren, Marco Spinosa, Alexa Spinosa and Julian McDade who brought her the greatest joy. It is said that to live a full life is to share your greatest gifts with others. If this is true, then Tina Cerniglia lived life to the fullest.
She is survived by her son, Salvatore Cerniglia (53), her daughter Maria Ebert (50) (Kevin Ebert), grandchildren, Marco Spinosa (24), Alexa Spinosa(22) and Julian McDade(22) (Kaitlin Mearkle), and sister, Mary Lombardo (Sebastian). She is predeceased by Santo Cerniglia, her husband and Lena Cerniglia, her daughter, and two brothers, Salvatore and Vincent Attinello.
The viewing is at Kuhn Funeral Home, 739 Penn Ave. West Reading, PA at 8:00 a.m.Saturday, May 13, 2023. The funeral is to follow at 10:00 at St. John the Baptist de LaSalle Church, Shillington. She will be laid to rest at Gethsemane Cemetery.