Married Aug 16, 1975
Sandy Zollinger Furano: My Journey Back to My Roots
Two years ago, I made a life-changing decision—I bought a 120-year-old duplex in New Orleans and completely renovated it. While modernizing the space, I was careful to preserve its soul, keeping the original long-growth pine floors and as many of the historic windows as possible. Now, I have a gorgeous home, just two miles from where I was born in 1950.
As a baby, I lived with my parents in the upstairs apartment of my grandmother’s home, right next to Pascal’s Manale. My grandmother, Aminthe Nungesser, was a trailblazer—she founded Iris in 1917, paving the way for women in New Orleans’ Carnival traditions. Her legacy will be honored in an upcoming exhibit at the Presbytère, opening this Mother’s Day, recognizing her and other pioneers of women’s Carnival. (You can also read more about her in this year’s Arthur Hardy’s Mardi Gras Guide.)
Returning to New Orleans after 55 years has been nothing short of transformative. My husband, a California native, has embraced the city as his own. After an incredible career in rock & roll—touring the world as a manager for Bob Dylan, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, George Harrison, and overseeing hundreds of legendary concerts—he has found a new rhythm here. Together, we’ve curated a wonderful circle of friends, many of whom have deep ties to New Orleans music and culture.
My background in furniture and design, spanning 35 years and overseeing some of the largest accounts on the West Coast, prepared me for this homecoming. I wanted to bring in the light and openness of a California home while staying true to New Orleans’ timeless charm. The result is a space that blends both worlds—where history meets modern elegance, and where a portrait of my grandmother stands as a tribute to her lasting contributions to this city.
I hope my home and my story resonate with you, and I would love to share more about this incredible journey.
Sandy Furano
Captain Aminthe Nungesser escorts King Roger Joseph Barba Sr. at
the 1949 Iris ball
My grandmother’s contributions to the history of Mardi Gras
and the empowerment of women in New Orleans are profound and enduring. Born in
1899 into a Creole family, she was more than a mother of three children with
five grandchildren; she was a pioneer, a visionary, and a trailblazer who
helped reshape the cultural landscape of her city.
At the advent of World War I, at just 18 years old, my
grandmother, whose family was in the funeral home business, founded the Krewe
of Iris in 1917, marking a pivotal moment in the history of Carnival. This was
not merely the birth of a new women’s krewe; it was also a bold statement in a
time when women were largely confined to do-mestic roles. Her decision to create a space for women in the male-dominated world of
Mardi Gras was revolutionary, challenging the societal norms of her day. It’s
likely that the more than 10,000 women who belong to women’s Mardi Gras krewes
today are unaware of the obstacles she faced at a time when
women couldn’t vote, drive, or even smoke in public. Yet, she dared to carve
out a place for them in the vibrant, color-ful world
of Mardi Gras, igniting a movement that would grow in strength and influence
over the decades.
But Aminthe’s contributions
didn’t stop there. In 1941, against the backdrop of World War II, she founded
the Krewe of Venus, making history again when the first all-feminine pageant
rolled down St. Charles to Canal Street on Sunday February 23, 1941, with the
theme of Goddesses. Many charter members were wives of the men-only Hermes and
Babylon krewes. For more than 30 years, floats for the Venus parades were
rented from the Knights of Babylon. This arrangement was unique and allowed the
new krewe to parade without the expense of owning a den and constructing its
own floats. The creation of Venus was nothing short of audacious—a woman not
only leading but expanding her influence in the realm of Mardi Gras, all while
balancing the demands of raising a family. For 12 years, she managed both
krewes, a feat that would be challenging even by today’s standards. But in
1952, when my sister and I were just babies and living in the apartment
attached to my grandmother’s home on Baronne Street behind Pascal’s Manale, our grandmother realized she could not oversee both
Iris and Venus and be the grandmother she wanted to be. So Aminthe decided to keep Venus and handed over Iris to Irma Strode, who had been the
queen of Venus. Irma did a phenomenal job, and without her commitment and
leadership, Iris would not have developed into the club that it is today—the
largest krewe in Mardi Gras, boasting nearly 4,000 members—a living legacy of Aminthe’s vision and leadership. My brother and three
sisters knew that our grandmother never sought recognition or fame. But she
would be proud to learn that her life will be the subject of an exhibit at the
Louisiana State Museum at the Presbytere in the Spring. Aminthe was not just a captain of krewes; she was a
captain of change, navigating the uncharted waters of gender equality in a
society steeped in tradition. In the grand tapestry of Mardi Gras, Aminthe Nungesser’s thread may not be the most visible, but
it is undeniably one of the strongest. Woven with determination, love, and the
indomitable spirit of New Orleans, her legacy is a powerful reminder of what
one woman’s vision can do.
Before After.
Sandy Zollinger Furano, an LSU 1972 graduate, ventured
west and made California her home for over 55 years. There, she married rock
'n' roll tour manager legend, Dave Furano. Just two years ago, Sandy returned
home to her rich heritage and roots in New Orleans. Encouraged by her siblings,
she and her husband restored a 130-year-old home, not far from where she was
born.