Anna Marie Drennon

Anna Marie Drennon (Gala), 90 of Rochester, NY passed away on January 5th, 2024 at 11pm in Orlando, FL. She suffered a massive brain hemorrhage on December 30th, 2023. I apologize for the delay in an official posting. This has been very difficult.

Anna was born of Vincenzo and Pasquelina (Damelio) Gala who came to America from Melfi, Italy after World War 1. Anna had 8 siblings: 6 sisters

- Josephine Gala (who passed at a very young age), Lucy Rabitz, Angelina Costanza, Jennie Tiano, Mary Skanron and Patricia Gage, and 2 brothers Tony and Joseph Gala. Her father was a mason and worked on the construction of Kodak Park on Lake Avenue and Ridge Road West in Rochester, New York. Her mother was a homemaker. As a child Anna clung to her side.

Anna grew up in one of the old blue collar neighborhoods of Rochester, NY which was home to the original Wegmans grocery store. Wegmans developed into a Fortune 500 company for whom she later worked at their corporate office for 25 years as a switchboard operator. Anna was one of 3 people who first greeted you when you called the corporate office. She loved her job and the many friends she had made over the years. Aside from work, she enjoyed the many outings that Wegman's hosted such as a Niagra Falls trip which included going on Maid Of The Mist, which takes its passengers underneath the falls.

Anna worked very hard to be able to acquire gainful employment. Most women of her time were either expected to marry or work to help the family household. She worked at RT French Co. doing factory work before marrying. Formal education was not an option for most women. After separating from her marriage, Anna raised her 4 children, Donney, Brenda, Debby, and David, primarily by herself. As her children got older, she attended courses to acquire secretarial skills. Through Burn Personnel and Manpower agencies she acquired positions at Aetna Insurance, Kravitz Realty and finally Wegmans, where she worked until her retirement at 80 years of age.

In her younger years Anna enjoyed parties, dancing and attending plays. She went on a cruise once and even tried skiing. A girlfriend had told her she would teach her how to ski, but found when they got on the slopes her friend had never skied before. Anna loved watching planes, parades and attending balloon races. She was a natural artist and once won a scholarship to attend classes at The Memorial Art Gallery. She loved to draw and took painting classes later in life. She enjoyed making wreaths that she both sold and gave away. Anna loved to travel. She went on many trips with her close friend Merle Blowers visiting places such as Maine, New England, Washington D.C., N. Carolina, Cooperstown NY, The Genesee County Museum, and other museums and galleries throughout the region. Anna was not scared to travel alone to see the people she loved: her children in Florida, Nova Scotia and Tennessee where she explored the attractions there. She even ventured alone to visit her mothers' sister and family in Argentina. She had that courage.

Anna was an excellent cook, although she didn't enjoy cooking at all. She hated the thought of laboring in the kitchen as her mother had done. Her cooking, however, was amazing. Anna frequented restaurants enjoying good food, a glass of wine or coffee. A favorite was Friday Night Fish Fry's. A walk on the Charlotte Pier and an Abbott's Custard would often follow. Rochester is famous for its ground rounds topped with meat hot sauce. Anna loved going to Tom Wahl's, Schaller's, Bill Gray's and Don and Bob's for these cheeseburgers. Another favorite was Chicken Parmesan offered at the many local Italian Restaurants.

Anna could never get enough of Seinfeld and Arrested Development reruns. She would just laugh and laugh watching them. In later years she enjoyed lying in bed watching television, which she constantly said she wasn't watching but knew everything that was happening on that screen.

Anna loved visiting her sisters, nephews, nieces, grandchildren and friends. The Rabitz's and Tiano's invited their Aunt Anna over yearly for holiday dinners and celebrations, which she always looked forward to. Anna loved flowers. Going to the Lilac Festival was a yearly tradition. In December 2023, shortly before she passed, Anna was able to enjoy Leu Gardens in Orlando where she gazed upon the wonderful gardens, canopy of trees and wide variety of flowers. Anna loved parks especially Stoney Brook and Letchworth State Park over which she wants her ashes scattered.

After an injury in 2017, Anna relocated to Florida to be closer to her children there. She loved the opportunity to spend more time with her grandchildren there and evening walks. Anna really loved her apartments in both Stuart and Orlando, FL where she moved in 2022. Having her own place was very important to her. She was very independent and strong willed. Although she always missed Rochester, while in Florida Anna did enjoy many trips to the beach, walks in the park and eating at various restaurants. Thai food was a newly introduced favorite. Holidays with friends and family were enjoyed. She also enjoyed many trips to the Morse (Tiffany) Gallery and SeaWorld. The evening before her hemorrhage, Anna enjoyed SeaWorld one last time. She saw the Holiday Sesame Street Parade, The Nativity Show, The Skating Show and the best fireworks display we had ever seen there. Anna loved fireworks. At 12 midnight, New Years Day 2024 was greeted with a phenomenal fireworks extravaganza that could be seen in perfect panoramic view from her hospital room stretching along the entire Orlando skyline. I couldn't help but hope that some way, somehow, she was seeing them.

Anna is survived by her 4 children: Donney Gala, Brenda (Drennon) Suter, Debby (Drennon) Clark and David Drennon. Her sister, Patricia Gage. Her grandchildren: Mark Drennon, Ashleigh (Suter) Mingace, William Bosch, Steven Bosch and Anita (Bosch) Smith. Her great grandchildren: Aiden and Aria Mingace/ Cassidy( Bosch) Gaffney, Danielle, Sara, Nathan and Ryan Bosch / Yazmeena, Zara, Sebastian and Zoe Bosch/ Garrett and Maya Smith. Many nieces, nephews and friends.

A heartfelt thank you is extended to the Hospice staff at Advent Health Main Campus South in Orlando who helped us through those very hard 4 days as she passed. A very special thank you to Veronica (Hospice) whose compassion, kindness, soft voice and guidance brought peace into a troubled room. She was like an angel, a light in the darkness. Veronica defines the true nature of Hospice. Thank you, Chaplain Jose Torres, a true representative of God, who came and prayed with Anna. Thank you to friends, Thor Falk and Terry Longanecker, who didn't have to be there in Hospice but spent many hours in support. Thank you Linda Costanza, for your guidance and support when the world was crumbling around us. To Brian Skanron, for flying to Orlando so he could spend time with his aunt in her hours of suffering. And thank you Rick Skanron for your assistance and support. Also, thank you to everyone who called offering their prayers, comfort, love and support.