Visitation will be held at the LaMonica Memorial Home 145 E. Mt. Pleasant Ave., Livingston, NJ on Monday, December 29 from 9-11 am followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Joseph’s Church in West Orange at 11:30 am. Entombment will be at Hollywood Memorial Park in Union.
Ann was born in Newark, New Jersey on October 2, 1923. She graduated from Weequahic High School in Newark and attended Seton Hall University
graduating with a degree in Psychology.
She was an independent and trailblazing career woman. She worked as an administrative assistant to Dr. C.P. Rhoads, Director of the Sloan
Kettering Institute for Cancer Research in New York City and later at United Hospitals Medical Center Children's Hospital in Newark working with Dr. Anita Falla and helping children and their families.
Ann was predeceased by her parents Alfonso and Francesca Gambardella and her sisters Pauline Ruggiero and Angela DeVincentis.
She is survived by her brothers Benedict Gambardella and Alphonse Gambardella and wife, Ida, her nieces and nephews Rosemary Gambardella, Frances Gambardella, Benedict Gambardella and wife Linda, Marianne Macri and husband Nicholas, Frances Coughlin and husband Charles, Alphonse Gambardella and Michael Gambardella, as well as great nieces and nephews April Lucy, Christopher, Alycia, Adena, Brian and Jessica.
Ann is also survived by her lifelong companion and caregiver in times of infirmity, Mr. John Silvio Picinich. Having met in their forties, they spent many wonderful years caring for each other’s aging parents & family, travelling the world when not otherwise required to be caregiving them or Pauline, and caring for each other. She is also survived and held in very fond remembrance by John’s children Gregory F. Picinich of West Islip, NY, Suzanne M. Picinich Taylor DO, her husband Lyle Taylor & his 3 sons of Youngstown, OH, and by Thomas John Picinich his wife Ellen Kleckner and their sons Jonas E. Picinich and Elias N. Picinich of Waterford CT. Also to remember Ann is her caregiver Regina Boachie-Mensah who aided Ann tremendously in her final 9 months of infirmity at home.
Ann traveled the world and pursued many interests including politics and painting but her greatest joy in life was her family to whom she was
devoted and who loved her greatly in return.Ann was an encouragement and role model to the next generations in her family, and poured her substance into her nieces, nephews, ‘step-children’ and ‘step grandchildren’ in many ways. Always willing to lend an ear to talk and offer practical advice and perspective, Ann gave of herself to her family.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, P.O. Box 1893, Memphis, TN 38101-9950.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18