GGGGF-GGGGM-GGGF-GGF-GM-F-Self 1948

I have a break in my line because my GGGGF (b. 1847), who emigrated from Italy to the US in 1872, renounced his Italian citizenship to naturalize in 1879, six months before my GGGF was born. However, he married my GGGGM in 1875, while still an Italian citizen. Does this mean that he transmitted Italian citizenship to her by marriage and that since she did not renounce, she is able to transmit citizenship to her descendants?