Cecelia L. Orgo

Cecelia Orgo, whose passing came peacefully on October 29th, 2023, was known by many names throughout her long and well-lived life. Most affectionately, she was known as Mom, Mama Ceil, and Nana. Born into a Greek and Irish family on January 12, 1928, in Chicago, IL Ceil was one of eight children. In 1950, she met her husband, Tom, giving him a chance even though as legends tell it, she was on a date with an entirely different suitor when he made his pitch that she was the woman he would marry. Ceil and Tom built a big life for themselves, raising three children and running a family restaurant in Hillside, IL, taking trips to Las Vegas to jitterbug the night away, making a life in Florida, and finally settling down in Cincinnati for their last chapters. Ceil will most closely be remembered and celebrated by her children: Tom and his wife Eileen (Geraghty) Orgo; CeAnn (Orgo) and her husband John Raterman; and Vic and his wife Maggie (Carroll) Orgo; her grandchildren: Lisa (Orgo) Cashwell, Thomas Orgo; Jeanna Orgo; Kati Lyn (Orgo) Harrison; Kelly (Orgo) Ball; John Raterman; Missy Raterman; Kim (Raterman) McDermott; and, Paul Raterman; and her many great-grandchildren. If you knew Ceil, you know that she was “so appreciative of the people around her”… and also “so very cold, freezing!”. But, no matter how cold she was, her presence always warmed the room she shared with us. Her singing of “Route 66” and “Straighten Up and Fly Right” will live on in our hearts, her love for cracking a joke will always bring us a smile, and her happiness at caring for her loved ones with her whole heart is a lesson we’ll live by. We’re certain that all of the sugar kisses she stole over the years will sweeten life in her final resting place where she and Tom will pick up their love story right where it left off. Here, she will continue to live in our hearts forever. Visitation will be on Monday, November 6th from 9:30am–10:30am in the greeting room of the St. Antoninus church, followed immediately by mass in celebration of Ceil’s life. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Intensive Care Unit (https://give.cincinnatichildrens.org/).