Annette Polapink

May 17, 1941 – June 12, 2025

Spouse: Peter Polapink

Married: 63 years

Children: Carol (Polapink) Gomes (daughter) & Paul Gomes (son-in-law), Tom Polapink (son)

Grandchildren: Rebecca Gomes, Rachel Gomes, and Paul Gomes

Siblings: Frances Usai, Rose Bondi, Patrick Bellantoni

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Annette Bellantoni was born on January May 17, 1941, in New York City to Concetta (Connie) and Thomas Bellatoni. Along with two older sisters (Frances and Rose) and one younger brother (Patrick), she had a very tight and loving family.

Annette attended Central Commercial High School and served on the Yearbook Committee there. An innocent and unfortunate error in the spelling of the school bully’s nickname in the yearbook (“Pibby” instead of “Sibby”) led to a confrontation in front of a group of students wherein Annette (with her 5’-0”, 90 lb. frame) was forced to react spontaneously. She very uncharacteristically pushed back at him and sent him flying over classroom desks and chairs to the delight and cheers of her fellow students. It was an early sign of her inner strength, which would reveal itself in a much bigger way later on in life.

She worked for Bell Telephone Company for a brief time before meeting and marrying Peter Polapink. They met at a dance that she did not want to go to. A friend of hers had a crush on Peter and knew he would be at the dance. She convinced Annette to go along with her to keep her company. As it turned out, Peter was instead drawn to Annette upon meeting her, and the rest is history. They were married a few short years later on April 16, 1961. Nine months later (to the day), their daughter Carol was born. Tom, their son followed three years after.

Annette was the perfect mom, ready and willing to do anything necessary to help her kids. Patient, kind and always thoughtful, she put everyone above herself. She loved all children, and had many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews whom she cared for deeply. After some reluctance, she became “mom” to two dogs in the Polapink household over the years…Cherese and Misty. One memorable observation she made was that the number of Misty’s special gourmet doggie treats (provided by her brother Pat) appeared to be diminishing at a rapid rate from their fancy glass container. After some investigation, she discovered that her son-in-law was the culprit. It turned out that he thought they were some type of a new snack. He noticed that they did not taste very good, but they were satisfactory enough to go back for seconds and thirds and so on.

She loved to walk and would regularly make the 6-mile round trip walk to the Smith Haven Mall to spend a good part of the day there walking some more while shopping. After the kids were in school, she took on a job at Clark’s Card shop to bring a little extra cash into the household. Being at Clark’s every day provided her with an endless supply of gift-giving ideas for friends and family, so by the end of each work week she sometimes ended up owing slightly more than what she was making there.

She loved music, dancing, ancient Egyptian art and doll collecting, but above all she loved her big extended Italian family and her immediate family and friends.

Sadly, she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in her late thirties. She bravely fought this terrible illness for more than half of her life and it became very apparent early on that Annette was not only the sweetest person but also the strongest person you could ever meet. The introduction of grandchildren into her life helped greatly to keep her hands and mind busy and had an overall therapeutic effect on her. She loved her grandchildren fiercely and they were the center of her universe.

Her husband Peter retired early to care for her and spent every day with her at home until he was no longer physically capable. He visited her at the rehab/nursing home for several hours each day where they both became well-known and loved by the aides who took care of them. Shortly before he passed one year ago, he ended up in a room at the same facility where they were easily able to visit each other, being just a few doors from each other.

Annette will be missed by everyone who had the privilege of knowing her. She was one-of-a-kind person with a huge heart, endless compassion, an infectious smile and she was a genuine master of the eye-roll at the most appropriate times.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made in Annette’s name to Stony Brook University Hospital here:

www.sbugiving.com/annettepolapink