Antonina (Ann) Albanese was born on August 11, 1929 in Manhattan, NY (the Little Italy neighborhood). Of the 8 siblings, Ann was the 7th child of Sebastiana and Giuseppe. She grew up in Brooklyn. As a teenager, the big bands music, dancing, and Frank Sinatra shows were her strong interests. Ann often got into trouble because of skipping school to attend shows. She worked as clothing Sales Woman.

On July 2, 1950 she married William Hussey. Bill or “Babe” that everyone in the family called him had a large family of his own, 16 siblings. With large families on both sides, and post WWII baby boom, Ann’s daughters –LuAnn and Diane – had many cousins. Holidays and many weekends were spent at family gatherings.

In 1980, Babe passed away after battling lung cancer for a year. Two years later, with both her daughter’s out of the house, Ann decided to move to California at her youngest sister’s urging. In addition to Florence, Ann’s sister Mary and her family were living in Los Angeles at that time. Ann enjoyed California but even more the time with her family. However after 7 months she returned to NYC because she missed living close to her daughters.

In the mid 80’s Ann met Joseph Sanfillipo at a bingo hall. They both enjoyed dancing, movies, traveling, visiting Atlantic City and Foxwoods, and family gatherings. They became Nana and Poppy in 1988 with arrival of the first grand daughter Danielle, and enjoyed babysitting her on many weekends. Then again in 1995 when Nicole was born. Both girls were their joy. Joe and Ann got married in 1998 while on vacation in Las Vegas. They lived in Glendale, Queens until 2007 when due to poor health they both went to live in a nursing home. Poppy passed away in 2011.

Ann was a resident at the Queens Boulevard Extended Care Facility for the last nine years. She survived breast cancer few years ago, and for the last year has been dealing with a tumor on her colon and brain seizures, among the usual age related ailments. Last April and then again in May she was in the hospital for several weeks. Over the summer months she recovered, somewhat. We were able to celebrate her 87th birthday, and other events along with a good Thanksgiving celebration. She was looking forward to the Christmas holidays. She passed away on December 20th (Tuesday evening).

Ann is survived by her daughters LuAnn and Diane, her grandchildren Danielle and Nicole, and son-in-law Frank.

May she rest in peace.