Margaret "Margy" F. Violetta-Talerico

Margaret F. "Margy" Violetta-Talerico, age 94 and lifetime Upper County resident, passed away peacefully at her home on Thursday, November 10, 2022, with her family by her side. Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, November 18, 2022 from the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection in Roslyn with burial to follow at the Roslyn Eagles Cemetery.  A reception will follow the graveside at the Putnam Centennial Center in Cle Elum.

The youngest child of Candido and Margaret Avenatti-Violetta, Margy was born on September 21, 1928, at her family home at 44 4th Street in Roslyn.  She attended school in Roslyn and graduated from Cle Elum High School in 1946. 

Margy started working at the age of 12 with her dad at Roslyn Grocery, where she went door-to-door taking grocery orders.  She loved growing up in Roslyn, and it always held a special place in her heart.  She even planned on writing a book about the local history and had already decided on the title: “I live in Cle Elum, but my heart is in Roslyn.”

After graduating from high school, Margy wanted to become a nurse and started school at Central Washington University in Ellensburg.  After attending Central for one year, she transferred to the University of Washington in the Fall of 1948.  She quickly grew tired of the rainy Seattle weather and, after one quarter at UW, she moved back to her hometown of Roslyn. Margy spent the next 11 years working as an operator at the Cle Elum Telephone Office.

In the summer of 1947, Margy attended a baseball game at the Italian Picnic Grounds, where she officially met her future husband, Sam Talerico.  After dating off and on for years, Margy and Sam were engaged on April 21, 1950.  The number 21 was their lucky number, so they both didn’t mind waiting another 2 years to get married on Saturday, June 21, 1952. 

Their first home was the upstairs apartment of Pete & Mary Fassero on East 3rd Street in Cle Elum, who they became lifelong friends with, along with their children Delona and Donn.  In 1958, Margy and Sam moved uptown to the little house next to the clinic/hospital at 605 Power Street. 

In December of 1959, Margy & Sam welcomed their first son Robert E. Talerico. Then, four years later, their second son Steven E. Talerico was born in March of 1964.  After a couple years, the family moved to their present house that Sam helped build on Swimming Pool Hill.

Margy was an active member of the Church of the Resurrection in Roslyn, the Roslyn Eagles Auxiliary, Royal Neighbors of America, and the VFW Ladies Auxiliary.  She loved music from the 1940’s, just like Sam, and the two of them loved dancing and were excellent dancers.  A few of her favorite songs were “Moonlight Serenade”, “Margie”, “Darktown Strutters’ Ball”, “My Way”, and “Fly Me to the Moon”. 

Margy was a wonderful cook and baker, and absolutely loved chocolate.  One of her famous sayings was, “Love doesn’t make the world go around, chocolate does!”  She loved watching sports, especially baseball, high school and college basketball, and Washington Husky football games.  Hunting for mushrooms, collecting driftwood, long car rides, crossword puzzles, going through car washes,  gardening, and watching Jeopardy, were a few of her favorite things.

Margy always looked forward to the family’s annual trips to Seaside, Oregon.  Her favorite saying while Sam was backing out the car was, “We’re off to see the wizard!”  For many years, Margy was Secretary Treasurer for the Class of 1946 Reunions and secretary for the Avenatti Family Reunions. 

Waiting in Heaven for Margy is her son Bob, husband Sam, her mother Margaret and father Candido, her siblings Edmond, Viola, and John, many cousins, and Miggy’s best friends; “Buzz”, “Sax”, “Dode”, “Champ”, and “Lory.” 

Margy’s legacy will be carried on by her son Steve, grandkids, Garhett, Taryne, and Carson and their mother Melody, many nieces, nephews, and cousins.  

Arrangements have been entrusted to Johnston & Williams Funeral Home and Crematory of Cle Elum.  Online condolences may be left for the family at www.johnston-williams.com