PESCARA. She was a primary school teacher for 40 years, she traveled the world, and now, at 105 years old, she devours books and reads newspapers every day, commenting on the news with her family. Iole Lactantiuswidow Di Bartolomeo, born in 1919, born in Popoli but resident in Pescara, celebrated her 105th birthday together with her son Claudio Di Bartolomeo, entrepreneur of plumbing and heating systems; daughter-in-law, Carla Di Credico and grandchildren Arturo and Matilde, 10 year old twins. The mayor was also present at the party Carlo Masci who gave her a souvenir scroll. When asked how she feels about being over a hundred years old, she replies: «I feel great for my age, I just want my family to be happy. And all I want in the future is to be next to my grandchildren.”
Teacher Iole has always been a very independent woman. «Until six months ago she lived alone in the villa in the hills», reveals her son, «she is a woman with extraordinary vitality and a devourer of books and newspapers. She subscribes to magazines and newspapers, including the Center, and comment on the news with us every day. Two years ago he was still cooking Abruzzo desserts. She is unstoppable and at the age of 95 she went to the dealership to buy a car after we had taken away the one she had for safety reasons.” Teacher Lattanzio was born in Popoli on 24 April 1919. After her studies she taught at the primary schools of Schiavi d’Abruzzo, Popoli, Spoltore, Pescara and Torre de ‘Passeri. Here she met Arturo Di Bartolomeo, who later became her husband, who passed away in 1969 at the age of 69. «They got engaged during the Second World War», says their son Claudio, «and they married in 1956 in Corfinio. Then they took their honeymoon to Fiuggi because my father needed spa treatments.” Di Bartolomeo senior, together with his brothers, founded the company that his son Claudio runs today. «When my father died I was 9 years old and my mother educated me in the cult of the company. For years she taught and then went to the office. At 18 she told me: now it’s your turn. And from that moment she began to travel, Burma, Cambodia, China, Vietnam, America. Today you give advice to those who are about to embark on a journey.” Between the 80s and 90s she retired and filled the house with books. «You have over 3 thousand that you read avidly and your commitment also extends to other causes, as you are a member of the Italia Nostra and Tinozzi association», concludes the son.
