Enrico and Olimpia Ambrusini, Victims of the 1918 Influenza Epidemic

Enrico and Olimpia Ambrusini both died from influenza in October of 1918, when the disease spread across the United States and many other parts of the world. Their young son Tulio had died in 1916, in a tragic drowning incident. In 1918, four Ambrusini children were left as orphans: Theresa, Erma, Eda and Louis.

In 1907 Olimpia Filipinni and Enrico Ambrusini, both natives of Italy, were married at Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Sandusky, on the very same day that Olimpia’s sister Filomena Filipinni married Lazzaro Uguccoini. Olimpia and Filomena were the daughters of Enrico Filippini and his wife Maria.

By the time of the 1910 United States Census, three related families were all living on Market Street. Enrico Flippini and his family were at 426 Market Street. Filomena Uguccioni and her husband Lazzaro Uguccioni, and their daughter Rosa lived at 430 Market Street. Enrico (here listed as Federico) and his wife Olimpia resided at 432 Market Street. (These house numbers changed in 1915, when the city of Sandusky re-numbered the city streets.)

Sadly, Enrico Ambrusini died at the emergency hospital on Adams Street on October 19, 1918. Olimpia Ambrusini died on October 20, 1918, leaving behind four young children.

An article on the front page of the Sandusky Register of October 21, 1918 told of the rapidly rising numbers of cases of influenza in Sandusky at that time:

Theresa Ambrusini was adopted by the Battisti family in Sandusky. She lived a long life and died in Louisville, Kentucky at the age of 91. Her married name was Theresa Moremen. Erma Ambrusini marred Zeno Adante. She lived most of her life in Michigan, but passed away in California in 1997, at the age of 87. Louis Ambrusini, later known as Louis Ambrosine, lived in the Dearborn, Michigan area. He repaired and sold juke boxes, and he retired in Florida. A reasonable search did not find information about Eda/Ida Ambrusini.

The 1918 influenza epidemic brought tragedy to many. The Ambrusini family hoped to find a better life in the United States. They were active in the local Catholic Church, and had close relationships with members of their large extended family. Enrico and Olimpia Ambrusini were buried at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Sandusky, Ohio.

Note: The spellings of both first and last names of members of the Filippini and Ambrusini families vary widely, depending on the record.