Anna DeStefano

Anna was born April 30th, 1928, in Manhattan, NY to the late Salvatore and Rose Gambitta. She loved and enjoyed music, especially the music of her youth, and she was an avid Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Louis Prima fan.

Anna was very fashion conscious and was always well dressed for every occasion. She loved to shop (for clothes) and would spend hours with her nieces and granddaughters shopping and treating them to new outfits. After the family moved from Elmhurst, Queens to North Babylon, NY, she took a retail clerk job at Mid- Island Department Store, a local clothing retailer located in North Babylon. She outfitted the whole family for years with fashionable clothes!

Anna also loved to play the slots at Atlantic City, NJ and overcame her fear of flying to make several trips to Las Vegas. She loved playing cards and was always the first one seated at the table for the traditional holiday game of Po-Ke-No. After moving to Wake Forest, NC, she joined a senior Bingo club and immensely enjoyed going to Bingo every Monday night with her very dear friend Sonia.

Anna was beloved by family and friends alike. Whether she was “Aunt Anna”, “Grandma Annie”, or “Miss Ann”, she quickly befriended everyone with her laugh, smile, and sharp witted “off-color” comments. She will be missed by all.

In addition to her husband of 71 years, Anna is survived by her children, son Gary and his wife Renie, son Donald and his wife Debbie; niece Maria McClure (Germano), nephew Louis Germano and his wife Jean, nephew Frank Germano and his wife Erica, niece JoAnn Scarano and her husband Eddie; grandchildren, Kristin Alexander and her husband Emil, Derek DeStefano and his wife Devon, Ryan DeStefano, and Dana Hillbrand and her husband Scott; great grandchildren Chase, Payton, and Sydney Alexander and Porter Hillbrand.

Anna was preceded in death by her parents, and her brother Anthony Gambitta, and sisters Mary Germano and Bessie Iacuzzi.

A Liturgy of the Word service was held on Friday, September 22, 2023 in the Chapel of Mitchell Funeral Home. Burial followed at Raleigh Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, please direct memorials to the Alzheimer Foundation charity, by using the link below, under 'Donations'.

The DeStefano family is under the care of Mitchell Funeral Home at Raleigh Memorial Park. www.MitchellatRMP.com.