Anne A Barbella

Anne Barbella (nee Pergolizzi), 98, of Union NJ and Whitehouse Station NJ passed away at the Center for Hope Hospice in Scotch Plains on November 9, 2022. She is survived by her four daughters Joanne Angle Steffel and husband Joseph, Nancy Corinella and husband John, Peggy Barbella and husband William Fitzsimmons, and Rosemarie Barbella. She was also dear grandmother to Christopher Angle and wife Elizabeth Makris, and Kelly Robertson and husband Craig, as well as adoring great-grandmother to Konstantinos, Natalie, Claudia and Dylen. She is also survived by many loving nieces, nephew, and cousins. Anne was predeceased by her beloved husband of 68 years Joseph, her parents Anton and Margaret Pergolizzi of Elizabeth, and her brother Frank.

Anne was raised in Elizabeth, NJ and graduated from Battin High School. As a young girl, she celebrated VE Day in Times Square and flirted with soldiers on leave in Asbury Park during the war years. Like so many of her generation, she met her future husband at a dance and married in 1948. Anne and her husband Joe raised their four girls in Union, New Jersey and their happy home was the center of family life and celebrations with a large and loving extended family for more than 50 years before the tradition passed on to the next generation. Anne was a sweet woman, a loving daughter, niece, mother, grandmother, and aunt. Anne cared for aging relatives, welcomed all into her home, and was known to quiet the room when dancing the Peabody with her Joe. Family picnics and holidays at the Barbella home created wonderful memories for more than 5 generations.

Anne enjoyed a happy career at Kean College, working in the Registrar’s Office and for the Dean of Education for more than 20 years. She made many dear friends and loved meeting students, staff and faculty. After retirement and raising their family, Anne and Joe traveled extensively throughout the United States.

Anne was a founding parishioner of Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church in Union .She was an active member of the Rosary Society, the Holy Spirit 60+ Club, the Union Senior Monday Club, the VFW Post 2433 Auxiliary, the Sayrebrook Civic Association, and the Livingston School PTA. In 2017 due to health reasons she reluctantly left her beloved Brookside Drive home after 61 years to move to Whitehouse Station with daughter Peggy.

Visitation will be at McCracken Funeral Home, 1500 Morris Avenue, Union, NJ 07083 on Monday November 14 from 4 to 8 p.m. and Tuesday November 15 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. A funeral mass will be held on Wednesday, November 16 at 10:00 a.m. at Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church in Union followed by interment at Graceland Memorial Park on Galloping Hill Road in Kenilworth.

Donations may be made in Anne’s memory to the Alzheimer’s Association, PO Box 96011, Washington, D.C. 20090-6011.