General News
4 March, 2024
A growing 140-year family legacy
With the youngest aged just two months and the oldest asserting her seniority at 98, the Maffescioni lineage has branched on with five generations of the family still keeping each other company. The local and well renowned family recently welcomed...
With the youngest aged just two months and the oldest asserting her seniority at 98, the Maffescioni lineage has branched on with five generations of the family still keeping each other company.
The local and well renowned family recently welcomed their newest member, baby Kye, around eight weeks ago — whose arrival was celebrated not only by his grandma and great-grandmother but also his great-great-nan.
For 76-year-old, Val Maffescioni, still having her mother around for special moments like these is a blessing.
“It’s just amazing,” she said.
“Most people have four [living] generations so we’re very lucky to have gotten to five.
“We celebrate Christmas together, and we’re very respectful and nice with each other.”
Often in an expansive family, spanning generations, there’s a lot that’s passed down to the younger kin — stories, wisdom, artefacts and traditions.
One such thing, inherited by all members, has been the Maffescioni work ethic, which is evident in both young and old.
According to Aaron Maffescioni, who recently took on the grandfather role, the hardworking DNA is part of the family’s genetic makeup.
“My two sons work for me, I worked for my father and his father definitely pushed him towards working harder too,” he said.
“But even though we’ve all always worked hard, we were also told to enjoy life because life goes so quickly.”
While appreciative of everyone still around, Aaron also has fond memories of those who have since passed — and there’s a common thread that holds the entire family together.
“My great-grandfather came out to Australia from Italy in the 1880s,” he said.
“He came to Maryborough, to [what it was then], and he bought some properties here, set up a shop and [settled down].
“Then my grandparents and my dad lived and grew up here, now my parents own that shop and I’m here too with my family.
“So all of us have been in Maryborough for nearly 140 years and the town’s been good to us — it [connects] us all.”