Ann Julia Villani

Ann Villani, age 101, passed away on April 27, 2026, in San Antonio, Texas. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, on April 2, 1925, and then lived there for the first 95 years of her life. She was the oldest of 4 children born to Joseph Apicella and Angelina Cariffi. She married the love of her life, Frank Villani, on April 11, 1953. The couple had one child, Frank Villani, who was born on February 23, 1954. Ann began her working career during the Second World War as a bank teller, and she continued that profession until she married. Then, when her son went to college, she went back to work at the European American Bank and continued there until she retired at the age of 55. At the age of 96, Ann moved to San Antonio to live near her family. She moved into Discovery Village at the Dominion, where she lived for the last five years of her life amongst many new friends.

Ann loved to travel, cook, and gamble. Her husband gave her the nickname “Bunny,” which stuck until she moved to San Antonio, where she became known as “Big Momma” by her friends (she was 4’11” and 100 pounds). She loved playing her weekly poker with the guys and attending Happy Hour parties, bingo, and most of all her daily outings with her wonderful caregiver, Martha Browning, which she dubbed “My Martha,” and times with good friends she made. Her favorite day was her 100th birthday, when her extended family of nephews and nieces from around the United States came to San Antonio to help her celebrate that monumental day.

Ann was preceded in death by her father, Joseph Apicella; her mother, Angelina Cariffi; her brother, Joseph Apicella; her sister and brother-in-law, Teresa and Albert Aronne; and her sister and brother-in-law, Lucille and Andrew Cavitolo.