A St Albans seamstress who embroidered the wedding dresses of many young ladies in the area during her 60-year career, has died aged 91.
Amerina Marsani, fondly known as Neria to close friends and family, died on February 12 after suffering from pneumonia.
A funeral for the popular dressmaker was held on Friday at Ern Jensen Funerals in St Albans.
In a eulogy, son Fabrizio Marsani spoke of his mother’s passion for her family and her work. “My mother made and gave countless women the opportunity to dress well and put on a good show over many decades with her dressmaking skills,” he said.
“My mother was very lucky to have had a passion which enabled her to provide for her family and which gave her immense satisfaction.”
She was born in central Italy, in the Umbrian town of Baschi. She became an orphan at 14 after the death of her father; her mother died when she was eight.
She was sent to live with her aunt, a dressmaker who lived in Rome and who taught her the craft.
Mrs Marsani and husband Aldo came to Australia as refugees following World War II in 1950, first moving to Caulfield, then Ivanhoe, before the couple purchased land in St Albans.
Aldo established a long-running barbershop salon that operated out of their garage and Amerina a thriving business making ladies clothing from their living room.
She is survived by her three sons, Fabrizio, Claude and Rudolph, and granddaughter Ana.
