Obituary - Audrey Marie Chiarella

Chiarella, Audrey Marie; on Wednesday, May 17, at the age of 92 in Tempe, AZ.  Formerly a long-time resident of Smithtown, NY.  She was the beloved wife of the late Joseph.  Cherished mother of Theresa Chiarella, Laura Reisinger (Bob), John Chiarella and Joseph Chiarella (Sandra).  Cherished Grandmother of Karin, Jeffrey(Christina), Kerry(Philip), John Michael, Daniel(Megan), and Andrea.  Cherished Great Grandmother of Hannah, Paul, RJ, Derek, and Jon’Nae.  Dear sister of Elema Burris and John L. Swimmer of OK.  During the years 1942-1943, at the age of 17, Audrey went to work for Douglas Aircraft in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  She learned how to rivet and after training was sent to the main plant where the B-24 Bombers were being assembled.  She worked the graveyard shift with a partner, and climbed up and crawled into the small cabin section of the plane, located behind the pilot and co-pilot, to install radio tables.  She also worked in the lower part of the nose section of the plane which housed the shell track and two gun turrets.  During the day, she went to Beautician School and later became a hair dresser.  Shortly after graduating from Beautician School, she met her husband Joe, an Army service man, on a blind date.  They married and moved to NY and had four children.  They were married for 48 years.  Audrey was proud to be a “Rosie” and to have been a part of history that honors these great women.  She was a member of the American Rosie the Riveter Association and attended conferences.  Audrey also volunteered at the Senior Center in Tempe as a Needlewielder sewing and crocheting items for donation to local hospitals and charities, and was a volunteer at two church organizations.  She was an active member of Tempe Republican Women. A Memorial Mass in her honor will be celebrated at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Tempe, AZ on June 3, 2017 at 10 a.m.  Interment at a later date at Calverton National Cemetery, Calverton, NY.