George Roni, Italian Immigrant Who Helped Others In Need

George Roni was known for his generosity and made a lifelong habit of giving to the less fortunate.

Mr. Roni, an Italian immigrant and longtime Seattle resident, died recently at the age of 95. Friends and relatives report that Mr. Roni was always willing to help others, whether it was food, work, moral support or counseling.

Mr. Roni's son, Jack, a South Seattle resident, recalls his father's generosity when the family lived in Lester, a now-defunct railroad town in southeast King County.

During the Depression, hobos would spill off the freight trains that stopped briefly for refueling and would make their way to the Roni household, probably because of his father's reputation, Jack recalled.

"Dad sure seemed to get a lot of business" from the hobos, Jack Roni said. He used to give them homemade bread and cheese and even invite them into the house.

Mr. Roni even bought the equipment a friend's son needed for medical school because the boy's father could not afford it, Jack Roni said.

He believes his father's generosity had its roots in his early experience. At age 10, Mr. Roni was pulled out of school to help support his family in the mountain village of Vergemoli in the district of Tuscany in Italy. "He made it a habit and carried through his life," Jack Roni said.

Even after he came to the United States, Mr. Roni sent most of his earnings back to help support his eight brothers and sisters.

At 19, Mr. Roni was drafted into the Italian Army and served with distinction as a member of the Mountain Artillery (73rd Batteria Da Montagnia). He received a number of medals for valor and was discharged in 1919 after serving for just over four years.

Following his father's recommendation, Mr. Roni came to the United States shortly after his military service, settling first in Lester, which then was a major railroad supply depot where trains took on coal mined in nearby communities such as Black Diamond.

Most of Mr. Roni's work for Northern Pacific Railroad was manual labor, working on the coal docks. But his father loved manual labor, Jack Roni explained.

In 1932, Mr. Roni returned to Italy and was married to Maria, who returned with him to Lester. Maria died in 1982, the same year the couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

The Ronis moved to Queen Anne Hill in 1940, and Mr. Roni lived in the same house on First Avenue West until January of this year.

During his years on Queen Anne, Roni also was involved in charitable work. He would visit nursing homes, giving free haircuts, and for years he gave away the vegetables he grew in the garden at his home, Jack Roni said. He had a sign in his yard for people to help themselves, he said.

Mr. Roni was involved for many years with St. Anne's Catholic Church near his home.

Besides Jack, Mr. Roni is survived by another son, Joseph of Federal Way, and by daughters Gina Gabbert and Mary Roni, both of Bellevue.

Services were Saturday at St. Anne's Church.