Obituary of Eisa M. Testa

Eisa "Eggia" Atillia (Manaresi) Testa, 101, of Folsom, NJ, formerly of Vineland, passed away Saturday December 10th at the Innova Health and Rehab center in Hammonton, NJ. Eisa was the daughter of the late Leapolda 'Pauline' (Ramassi) and Archeangelo Manaresi. She was born in Shelby, Mississippi on March 9th, 1910. After the death of her parents in 1912, Eisa and her six siblings were raised by eldest brother Natale 'Charlie' Giuseppe and wife Nerina. Eisa picked cotton in the fields of Mississippi until moving to Vineland in 1921. From 1942 to 1975, Eisa was employed as a hand-buttonhole maker for men's suits at the DiPaolo Clothing factory in Vineland. She also used her sewing skills to support the war effort. During World War II, she felled armholes for soldiers' military coats. In 1931, Eisa met the love of her life, Navy sailor Louis Testa, on a blind date with friends. They were married six months later and enjoyed sixty wonderful years together; living most of those years on Sixth Street in Vineland. In 1979, Eisa and Louis left Sixth Street to become one of the first tenants to move into the Kidston Towers (senior citizens building) at 1040 East Landis Avenue in Vineland. While at Kidston Towers, Eisa enjoyed cooking Italian feasts for the resident senior citizens' club, gardening, playing cards, and taking frequent trips to Atlantic City with her husband and many friends. Eisa will be remembered and missed for her spirit and strength, devotion to family and friends, passion for life and laughter, and incredible Italian cooking.