Anna M. Paolini

1932 - 2025

OBITUARY

It is impossible to sum up my mother’s beautiful life of 92 years, but here are some things we remember. Anna Madeline Palma/Paolini was one of six children born in East New York to Mary and Joseph Palma. Her parents moved to Jamaica, New York, when she was 6. Her mother, Mary, had 2 sets of twins. My mother and her twin brother, Lou, were closely knit when they were young. I often wonder if that is where she got her “spunk”—keeping up with her brother Lou. At a young age, Mom had shown to be ahead of her time. Taking the train and subway into Manhattan, working as a secretary in a large insurance firm, and telling her father she wanted to learn how to drive. 

Mom lived in the two-family house on Allendale Street with her parents, her brother Joseph, her sister Josephine, her husband, and their family of 6 until she was 32.

My cousin Maryann recently shared a story of how Mom, or “Auntie Anna,” as my cousins would call her, would come home from work with flats of flowers and teach her how to plant. She taught her all the names of the flowers and how the crocus is the first flower of spring. 

Mom finally met the love of her life, Carmine, at a local dance. It was a match made in heaven. They married in 1966 and were devoted to each other and their faith. Settled in Flushing, NY, and started a family right away: Anthony, Joseph, Annette, and Maria. With a family of four, they decided to move to the suburbs, New Hyde Park. It was considered the “country” in those days. My mom would often invite my cousins to come sleep over for the weekend and spend days at the beach in Bayville. We have many fond memories of swimming, fishing, and clamming with our cousins.

Mom was quite the tomboy, so she and Dad got along very well. Mom loved her sports just as much as Dad. Although Dad was a Met fan and Mom liked the Yankees, they both enjoyed watching baseball. She would golf with Dad and was on a bowling league with the women in the neighborhood. She loved food and cooking. We had all types of cookbooks in the house, and she would try all different recipes. I remember the time she tried making Peking duck. My dad came home to find a duck hanging in the basement. LOL. That was quite a scene. I also remember she tried to make Sauerbraten. A delicious German meat dish, on the sour side; you can imagine what that tasted like. 

One thing about Mom that you may not know is she struggled with bouts of depression. She got help and lived a long, full, and happy life with my dad. When my father died on October 6, 2023, she did well for a while. In recent months, it was evident that living without Dad was too much for her. She tried the best she could. Michael and I had her come live with us the past 4 months, but she wasn’t fulfilled. But then recently she had a medical emergency that she could not recover from. Call your relatives, friends, and neighbors. Let them know you care. You just never know what they may be going through.

I had a great childhood, and I think my siblings would agree. Every year we took a modest summer vacation, trips to the outdoor pool, and every summer Sunday at the beach. After a long day of swimming, I remember Mom would be at the kitchen stove, still in her bathing suit, putting up a pot of Sunday sauce for dinner. Traditions we will never forget. 

Loving Grandmother of 10 - Paul, Stephanie, James, Geoffrey, Christopher, Nicholas, Lawson, Gabriella, Joseph and Angela.

Thank you, Mom, for being the strong, funny, sweet, and kindhearted person you were. You taught me how to be a mother. I love you forever. May you finally be at peace. 

VISITATION

Thursday, September 4 2:00 - 4:00 PM & 7:00 - 9:00 PM

New Hyde Park Funeral Home 506 Lakeville Road, New Hyde Park, NY

FUNERAL MASS

Friday, September 5 9:15 AM Notre Dame R.C. Church 5 Mayfair Road, New Hyde Park, NY

INTERMENT

Holy Rood Cemetery 111 Old Country Road, Westbury, NY

IN LIEU OF FLOWERS

Please make donations in Anna’s name to:

The Sister’s of St. Dominic of Amityville

555 Albany Avenue

Amityville, NY 11701

Or

NAMI

National Alliance for Mental Health

4301 Wilson Blvd., Suite 300

Arlington, VA 22203