Paradise, Alba

PARADISE, Alba Nella

September 3, 1928 -

January 2, 2022

Alba Nella Paradise was a caring wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, and friend. Alba went to be with her Heavenly Father on January 2, 2022. On September 3, 1928 she was born to Lorenzo and Candida Nella, who immigrated from Northern Italy and moved to North Beach, the Italian district in San Francisco. She grew up in a colorful Italian family where Italian was always spoken, and Italian cooking, customs, and rituals were a part of everyday life. After graduating from Galileo High School, Alba worked as a stenographer and secretary at Fireman's Fund Insurance Company until she met and later married her loving husband, Ralph Paradise, on June 15, 1952.

Together, they had two happy children, Jane and Tom; they were raised in the warm Italian neighborhood on Lombard Street on Telegraph Hill in the 'City'. She loved spending time in her City shopping, walking, visiting with friends and family, and enjoying time with her kids. While their children were growing up, Alba enjoyed raising her children as a stay-at-home mom and living near her parents and close friends. She was a skilled knitter, embroiderer, and seamstress having learned the ins-and-outs on a treadle sewing machine from her mother, Candida, who lived upstairs on Lombard Street. She was an excellent support to Ralph who was a beloved teacher and then became an exemplary assistant superintendent; her loving, passionate nature, which caused her to live life as an opera, was perfectly balanced by his rational (French), logical, and infinitely kind demeanor. (Slow and calm were not words in Alba's vocabulary.)

After their children were grown and her parents passed away they moved to Atlanta to work in their son-in-law Arol and daughter's new construction information company. She won all the company prizes in her role in collections because she did not want anyone shirking financial obligations to her family. She also read all the Georgia newspapers every day looking for new construction projects to report on.

Alba was known for her endless energy, love, charm, and style. Her family was always the focus and highlight of her life! She is survived by her daughter, Dr. Jane Paradise Wolford (married to Arol Wolford), and her son, Dr. Thomas Paradise (married to Dr. Fiona Davidson). Her grandchildren include Kristin Wolford Tiliakos (spouse Dr. Athan Tiliakos) and Alexa Wolford Romanek (spouse Derek Romanek) and Samia Paradise. Her great grandchildren include Kristin's children Nicholas, Lucas, and Zoe, and Alexa's children Bridget and Arol. Due to pandemic considerations, a small, private funeral service is scheduled at Saint Andrew's Catholic church on Riverside Road in Roswell, Georgia. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

Alba was always full of life, and we're comforted by the assurance that she's up in Heaven now sparking it up!

Sign the guestbook at Legacy.com