Mary Ann Calabrese

Born in New York Knickerbocker Hospital on November 21, 1932, Mary Ann Calabrese (nee Bonamo), grew up in Brooklyn, New York. As a child, she spent summers on the beach of Coney Island, swimming with her brother and sister and harvesting mussels with her grandmother. She graduated from New Utrecht High School in Brooklyn, and became an administrative professional at Bell Syndicate in New York City, where she would run into writers such as Walter Winchell and Ian Fleming. It was during her working years in New York that Mary Ann developed a fabulous sense of fashion and style that lasted her entire life. Mary Ann married Santo (Cal) Calabrese in 1957, and they moved to Staten Island, New York in the early 1960’s, where they raised their three children and had many picnics, outings, and celebrations with members of their extended family. Mary Ann earned her Associate of Arts degree from the College of Staten Island in 1979, and then worked in the Finance Department of Bayley Seton Hospital. She retired in 1994, and moved with Cal to San Diego, California to enjoy their next life chapter. Mary Ann and Santo delighted in touring Italy and cruising to Alaska, Hawaii, and other island destinations. Mary Ann was a parishioner of St. Thérèse of Carmel where she was an active member of the “Over 60’s” Club. She also volunteered at the Solana Beach Branch of the San Diego County Library, where she helped run the bookstore. Mary Ann is survived by daughters Lisa Merrill (husband, Michael Merrill) of San Diego, California and Christine Calabrese (wife, Sally Thomas) of Oakland, California, son Domenic Calabrese (wife, Diane Calabrese) of Tinton Falls, New Jersey and her beloved grandchildren Stephanie Merrill, Tony Calabrese-Thomas, Nicole Calabrese, and Joseph Calabrese.