Joyce Cavagnaro-Gregan

Born in Brooklyn to Madeline Celentano McCann and Peter McCann, she eventually married her high school sweetheart, Paul Cavagnaro, both graduates of Bay Ridge High School.

They had six children together — Paul, Peter, James, David, J.D. and Joyce. Paul passed on July 18, 1979 and, as the new breadwinner of the family, Joyce took a position at Coastal Dry Dock in the Brooklyn Navy Yard working in the office.

But Joyce always had an eye for antiques and fine art. She began work at Fortunoff in Woodbridge, N.J. where she sold Persian rugs and developed an acumen for special imports. On the side, she dabbled in buying and selling antiques.

She would scour New York City auction houses such as PB84 on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and, more locally, Richmond Galleries of West Brighton for hidden treasures. Her teenage sons would drive the family Ford LTD Country Squire into Manhattan and stay with the car to save on parking while she attended viewings and subsequent biddings.

Joyce eventually remarried in 1994 to James Gregan who passed a year later. Her daughter Joyce Bono said, “She continued to paint portraits, create wonderful still-life sculptures of her children, and made floral arrangements as well as many other beautiful creations.”

In a videoed interview with her granddaughter, Kristen O’Gara, she shared her secret for raising so many children.

Joyce said, “I set good examples because I’ve cared about my kids. I wanted them to have this warmth inside of them, [raised] by their mom and dad on their own, not by strangers.”

She is survived by her children, 14 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.