Ida Godges

1925-2022

Born at home in the immigrant enclave of Lehigh Row on the outskirts of Mason City, Iowa, in 1925, Ida (Di Gregorio) Godges died at the age of 96 on May 26, 2022. She left this earth amidst a communal sendoff by family members and caregivers gathered by her side at Nazareth House Senior Living Community in Los Angeles, California.

The top girl in her Class of 1943 at Mason City High School, Ida rode the Union Pacific Railroad to Los Angeles in January 1944. In 1948, she met her husband, Joseph, a Polish immigrant and World War II U.S. Marine Corps veteran who was then studying at Loyola University on the GI Bill, when he offered to help carry her grocery bags home from Jim Dandy Market in Westchester. On October 29, 1949, they were married at the South Los Angeles Church of St. Frances X. Cabrini, the patron saint of immigrants. They were married for 66 years until Joseph’s death in 2016.

As founding members of St. Lawrence Martyr Catholic Parish in Redondo Beach, Ida and Joseph raised six children just seven doors north of the church. Whenever her children’s lives would allow, Ida enthusiastically returned to work outside the home, from managing payroll at TRW to cooking at Augie’s Italian Restaurant in Torrance to being a crossing guard in view of her house to cleaning the United Airlines airplanes and terminals at Los Angeles International Airport.

Each job gave Ida great joy, and Ida gave great joy to the friends she made at each job, but nothing like the joy she derived from raising children and the joy she gave to them. Ida often taught her children that the most important things in life are “to enjoy our time together” and to cultivate wisdom.

For Ida, “enjoying our time together” meant making munificent meals so that family and friends could take delight in each other’s presence, lured by her handmade spaghetti, lasagna, pizza, gnocchi, biscotti, popcorn balls, and Polish gołabkis. For Ida, wisdom could be found in the Prayer of St. Francis, which she cross-stitched into elegant patterns for family and friends and which she sang at Mass in reverence and ardor: “Where there is hatred let me bring your love.”

Ida was preceded in death by her immediate family members: her parents, Serafino and Maria (Baccanale) Di Gregorio, originally from Farindola, Italy; her sisters Mafalda Janswick, Leola Von Wald, Bessie Kaemmerling, Elsie Di Gregorio, and Angeline Boss; and her brother, Ralph Di Gregorio.

She is survived by her children and their spouses (Stanley and Catherine Godges, Eugenia and David Killoran, Geralyn Godges, Joe and Arlette Godges, Mary Jo Godges and Renee Sotile, and John Paul Godges); her grandsons and their spouses (Jonathan Killoran and Kathryn Kocarnik, Daniel Killoran, Maximilian Godges and Connie Kwang-Godges, and Mark and Ryan Godges); and her great-granddaughter, Audrey Killoran. She is also survived by her nephew, Frank Di Gregorio; her nieces Karen York, Mary Kay Blanke, Sally Dolash, Cyndi Wells, and Lynne Kaminski; and her godfamily of Dr. Patricia Jersin, Colette McLaughlin, Cecile Huggins, and Mark Jersin.

The family would like to convey heartfelt thanks to the caregivers, nurses, med techs, sisters, chaplains, activities directors, cooks, and staff of Nazareth House Los Angeles; to the nurses, social workers, spiritual care providers, and volunteers from Silverado Hospice; and to all the doctors, therapists, health care providers, and in-home assistants who helped Ida in her journey over the past six years. Everyone who accompanied Ida ensured that she could—and did—go in peace. Her charismatic personality shone through to the end. “Everybody loves Ida” was the common refrain, said with glee.

Informal viewing, praying, and visiting will take place at Luyben-Dilday Mortuary, in Long Beach, on Tuesday, June 7, from 4-8 p.m. The Rosary, Mass of Christian Burial, and interment will take place at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery in Culver City, California, on Wednesday, June 8. The Rosary will begin in the Chapel of Holy Redeemer at 11:30 a.m. The Mass, also in the chapel, will begin at noon. The burial will immediately follow the Mass.

Luyben Dilday Mortuary (562) 425-6401