Devoted wife, loving mother, grandmother and great grandmother, sister and aunt, Dorothy Silva passed away peacefully February 10, 2008. Donata Palma Costantino was born in San Diego on February 18, 1915 to Italian-American immigrants Tony and Emilia. She later changed her name to Dorothy Mamie but all of her friends knew her as Jackie. Along with her sisters Betty and Sue, she grew up in San Diego and attended San Diego High School. Dorothy and Sue attended dances at the Eagles Club downtown, where they met Andrew Silva, and his best friend, Janous Marks. The four of them hit it off, and there were two weddings soon after. Andrew and Dorothy were married on November 3, 1937, at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church in Little Italy. They settled into married life in a little duplex adjacent to Dorothy's parents, and Janous and Sue. They spent the next few years there, where their daughter, Sally was born. Dorothy was thrilled to have a baby girl to dote on, and because she was an accomplished seamstress, made all of Sally's baby clothes and later her costumes and formal dresses. During the early years of their marriage, Andrew's job as a tuna fisherman took him on long journeys away from home.

Dorothy will be dearly missed by daughter Sally Castiglione; grandchildren Gina Espinoza (Jorge) of El Cajon, Lisa Jacob (Matt) of Henderson, Nevada, and John L. Castiglione (Jaime) of Del Mar; great-grandchildren Michael and Natalie Espinoza and Tyler and Emilie Jacob; sister Sue Marks of San Diego; nephew and niece Richard Marks and Margie Marks (Mark McCool) of San Diego. Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband Andrew in 2007, her son-in-law John Castiglione in 2006, and her sister Betty Vietti in 2002. Services will be held Tuesday, February 19th, with Rosary at 12:30 and Mass at 1 p.m. at Santa Sophia Catholic Church, 9800 San Juan St., Spring Valley, with arrangements made by Merkley-Mitchell Mortuary. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in memory of Dorothy Silva to San Diego Center for the Blind, 5922 El Cajon Boulevard, San Diego, CA 92115

Source:
San Diego Union-Tribune on February 18, 2008