Francesca Taullo, 101, became a naturalized U.S. citizen during a ceremony at the Thomas F. Eagleton U.S. Courthouse on Friday, April 12, 2019.

Taullo emigrated from Italy to the United States by boat with her husband Joe Taullo in 1965. The family ran Giancarlo's Ristorante on Hampton Avenue in St. Louis from 1987 until they retired from the restaurant business in 2014.

"I told her, you have to be a citizen. You've lived here longer than Italy," said Taullo's daughter Tina Campieri.

Taullo took the oath of allegiance to the United States with 51 one other people from 27 different countries during the courthouse ceremony. Taullo said she is very happy to be a U.S. citizen. She lives with Campieri in Crestwood.

Photos by David Carson, dcarson@post-dispatch.com