Obituary of Anna E. Scamardella

Anna (nee Remicci) Scamardella, age 96, passed away peacefully on November 11, 2021, at home, after a lengthy illness. She was the beloved wife of Matteo (1999) for 52 years. She was the loving mother of son Matthew (wife Kathleen), Robert ( wife Gail), John ( wife Vivian) and Mark ( wife Karen). She was the beloved grandmother of Matthew Scamardella Jr.,Lisa Fitzgibbons, Leslie Kasegrande, Robert Scamardella Jr., John Scamardella Jr., Joanna Mungo, Michael Scamardella, Elizabeth Scamardella and Mark Scamardella Jr. and she was the beloved great grandmother to 14 great grandchildren. Anna was born and raised in the little Italy section of lower Manhattan. She moved to Staten Island in 1947 after her marriage to Matteo. Originally residing in Sunnyside, she and her husband started the Matthew Funeral Home in Willowbrook in 1967. Anna became one of the earliest Staten Island women to become a licensed Funeral Director and she worked for many years in the funeral business which has become one of the leading such establishments on Staten Island. Before retiring in 1990. Anna moved to New Jersey in 1986, but returned to her beloved Staten Island in 2014. Anna was an accomplished singer and for many years was the voice heard at weddings and funerals at St. Teresa's Church in Castleton Corners. She was an ardent lover of the opera. After her retirement, Anna and her husband Matteo enjoyed traveling and were especially fond of their trips back to Anna's hometown in Blufi, Italy. That town had great significance for both Anna and Matteo. Matteo was a medic in General Patton's Third Army and he was involved in the invasion of Sicily in 1943 during Word War II. When Matteo, who could speak Italian, entered Blufi during the invasion, some local town folk implored him to write to their family in N.Y. and advise the family that their Italian relatives were safe and not harmed during the invasion fighting. Matthew did so and those New York relatives were Anna's family. Anna wrote back to the "American soldier" to thank him for his kindness and Anna and Matteo thereafter began to exchange letters and photos. After Matteo's discharge in 1945, he went to visit Anna and they struck up a relationship and married 2 years later. In addition to traveling and enjoying the opera, Anna relished her workout trips to the YMCA, watching the New York Yankees and spending time with her large family. After Matteo's death in 1999, Anna then met and spent many years in the company of widower Hugo Tomaini. Hugo died in 2018. More recently, Anna suffered from Alzheimer's disease and she spent her final years back on Staten Island, at home, surrounded by family and friends. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Stephen Siller Tunnel To Towers Foundation. Funeral from the Matthew Funeral Home, Inc., 2508 Victory Boulevard, on Tuesday, departing at 10:00 am. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Teresa's R.C. Church at 10:45 am. Interment to follow in Moravian Cemetery. Family and friends are invited to visit on Sunday, from 6:00 to 9:00 pm, and on Monday, from 2:00 to 4:00pm and 7:00 to 9:00 pm.