Olga Rose Giovanacci

Olga Giovanacci, beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt, cousin, and locally renowned restaurateur, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her loving family on December 10, 2012 at the age of 90. Olga was born Olga Rose Signor to Prima (Mom) and Frank (Pop) Signor on July 23, 1922 In Santa Barbara and attended local schools. As a young woman she enjoyed sports such as basketball and softball, playing for Santa Barbara High School and Local Girls Softball clubs. She loved bragging about her athletic ability and talent, often telling stories of her time as a young softball and basketball player to her children and grandchildren. At the age of 14, Olga was thrust into the restaurant business as a waitress and cocktail server by her mother Prima at a local café on Cota Street which was to become Mom’s Italian Village. Although her mother was historically and locally known as “Mom”, it was Olga herself that made the moniker her own as she worked tirelessly 6 days a week, 12 to 14 hours a day as a waitress, hostess, bartender, banquet manager, general manager, and owner for 60 years until the restaurant's closing in 1995. In 1946 Olga married the love of her life Wilson F Giovanacci and together they lived on the Mesa for almost 50 years. They gave birth to 3 Children – Cheryl, Alan, and Tricia. Olga was involved in various groups such as Las Madronas, The Italian American Boot Club, The Italian Catholic Federation, Native Daughters, and was one of the last surviving members of the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table’s own “Recycled Teenagers”. After her retirement in 1995, she volunteered her time at Saint Francis Hospital and also Fall River Valley Health Center in Northern California when she would visit her daughter, Cheryl. And as a proud breast cancer survivor, she was involved in the “Think Pink” Breast Cancer Awareness organization in Fall River Mills also. Olga was hospitable, caring, compassionate, and charismatic. Those traits were what drove the reputation of Mom’s Italian Village and the family atmosphere that made Mom’s Italian Village one of the most well known restaurants in the history of Santa Barbara. There is not a person she met personally that she didn’t make feel comfortable, welcome, or taken care of. Her charisma, humor, selflessness,and personality were evident even through her final years. Strangers, nurses, family, friends, and business associates alike equally got a glimpse of her spunk and sass that she exhibited anytime they spent any amount time with her. She was an avid bowler, loved to laugh, dance, read romance novels, watch classic movies, cook for her family, and spend time with her grandchildren and great- grandchildren who affectionately called her their Nona. She was a hard worker, an unselfish giver, and the matriarch of her family. She had a zest for life, for laughter and was the youngest 90 year old woman you could ever meet. Along with dozens of loving family members, she had many friends throughout Santa Barbara County, California, The United States, and the World. She will be greatly missed. Olga is reunited in death with her parents, Prima and Frank Signor, her loving husband of 49 years Wilson Giovanacci, her brother Ugo Signor, cousins Rosita Gallina, Marissa Ricketts, Ugo Melchiori , Olga Hagen, her closest cousin and adopted brother Enrico Melchoiri and son-in-law Dennis Riley. She is survived by her children Cheryl Riley, Alan Giovanacci, Tricia Johnson and her beloved grandchildren Anthony and Marissa Giovanacci, Kymberly Vasquez (Joel), Eric Johnson, Brian Riley, Kristi Shriner (Brandt), and Kerri West (Mike) as well as her great- grandchildren Elijah, Rian, Ragan, Renna, Riley, Maddie, and Liam. Olga also leaves behind many cousins, nieces and nephews that will miss her dearly. One of Olga’s favorite sayings in her later years after she retired from the restaurant business was “che bella vita che avere, mangiare e bere, e non trabarare” (what a beautiful life we can have - eat and drink and not have to work.” What a beautiful life indeed.

Olga Rose Giovanacci

July 23, 1922 - December 10, 2012