Tony Bennett’s wife recalls ‘special’ trips to Italy — and his love of pasta

nypost.com:

People.Bennett died on Friday, at the age of 96.“Tony, naturally, loved visiting his ancestral homeland, and we spent many summers in Italy over the years,” Benedetto, 56, told a reporter. “It was always a special time for us to be together, just the two of us,” she fondly recalled.“Tony would paint all day, and then we would eat pasta, which was his favorite meal…Everyone knows Tony had heart, but he also was a wonderful soul,” she said of the “Cheek to Cheek” singer.She noted that her surname, Benedetto, is Bennett’s original family name — and that it means “the blessed one” in his mother tongue, Italian.

Benedetto took on the moniker when she married the “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” crooner in 2007.The couple have been together since the 1980s.

Benedetto took care of her beloved as he battled Alzheimer’s disease in his final years. “I was most certainly blessed to have Tony in my life,” she said.

Bennett was the son of Italian immigrants, who settled in Astoria, Queens. He told the Post two decades ago: “I come from good Italian stock — but I’ve tried to stay fit through the years.”Benedetto and Bennett’s son with ex-wife Patricia Beech, Danny Bennett, took to Instagram on July 21 to thank fans who sent their condolences. “Thank you to all the fans, friends and colleagues of Tony’s who celebrated his life and humanity and shared their love of him and his musical legacy,” they said in a joint statement. “From his first performances as a singing waiter in Queens to his last performances in 2021 at Radio City Music Hall, Tony delighted in performing the songs he loved and making people happy.