Martin "Marty" Ingianni

Martin “Marty” Ingianni, 72, passed away peacefully on Monday January 22, 2018 surrounded by his family and close friends. For 21 months, as he bravely fought brain cancer, Marty continued to live his life to the fullest; sheetrocking and painting, restoring furniture, selling fig trees, making fig jam, deep-sea fishing, traveling to Maine and New York, visiting with family and friends, attending plays, concerts and lectures, going to the movies and out to dinner, sitting on his porch with his “therapy cat” BeeBee, watching the monarch butterflies, and most of all spending every precious moment with his wife, Nikki.

Marty was born on October 3, 1945 in Brooklyn, NY to Anthony and Elisabeta Ingianne, one month early and just four pounds. Having lost his mother when he was 10, Marty spent the next eight years learning how to fish and garden and developing his woodworking skills from his beloved paternal grandfather, Antonio.

In 1964, Marty joined the Navy as a patternmaker where his carpentry skills were put to use making molds for porthole covers, carving eagles for presentation plaques, even making a sewing cabinet for the Admiral’s wife. When he left the Navy in 1968, he returned to Brooklyn and worked in a factory creating the molds for plastic packaging before taking a job as a telephone repairman with AT&T. He retired from Verizon in 1998 at the age of 53.

In 1995, Marty and Nikki bought their home in New Bern, moving here in 1997 with their 12 year old daughter, Elizabeth. For the next 20 years, Marty spent his time restoring three houses, including their historic home, fishing with his buddies from the East Carolina Salt Water Fishing Club, dancing at the Sheraton deck parties on Friday nights, and enjoying a beer with friends at the Brown Pelican, BTM, and the Thirsty Bruin.

Marty was predeceased by his mother and father, step-mother Marie Ingianne, half-brothers Anthony and Salvatore Ingianne, uncles Edmund, Italo and Ilegio Giugliano, and Marty Ingianne, aunt Jean Ingianne and father-in- law Salvatore Leone.

Marty leaves behind his devoted wife of 36 years, Nicoletta “Nikki” Leone Ingianni, his beloved daughter Elizabeth, with whom he shared his woodworking skills and love of nature, his “adopted” daughter of the heart Pauletta Brown and their two cats, Chloe and Bright Eyes. Also left to cherish his memory are his loving mother-in-law Josephine Leone, sister-in-law Mamie Santos, brother-in-law Frank Santos, sister-in-law Lisa Ingianne, nieces and nephews Michael and Samantha Santos, Dawn and Salvatore Ingianne, aunts Lydia and Cira Giugliano, cousins Kathy Baker, Michael (Sandy) Baker, Chrissy (John) Parker, John (Dianne) DeGiorgio, Joe (Julia) DeGiorgio, Andy (Camille) DeGiorgio, Dr. Edmund Giugliano, Laura (Ron) Restani, Pat (Rosanne) Giugliano, Dr. James (Carolyn) Giugliano, Ralph (Valerie) Giugliano, Carmela (Lou) Sciacca, Ralph Giugliano, Michael Giugliano, Debbie (Gregg) Szabo and many, many devoted friends.

The family would like to express their gratitude to the staff at Craven County Hospice, especially nurses Joy Holloway and Corey Ammon, aide Nora Misa, social worker Robin Garrett, spiritual advisor Angel Lorton, and volunteer Gary Brenneman for their comforting, supportive care, allowing Marty to continue to enjoy his last days at home. Special thanks also to Linda Smith who has now been the caregiver of two generations of Ingianni’s.

The family will receive friends on Monday January 29 th from 2-4 and 6-7 at Cotten Funeral Home with a memorial service at 7 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Marty’s name to Craven County Hospice or the National Wildlife Federation.

Craven County Hospice Craven County Health Department Foundation PO Drawer 12610 New Bern, NC 28561. (Checks payable to Craven County Health Department Foundation)

National Wildlife Federation donations can be made online at www.nwf.org/memorial