Anne Marie Vitolo Peterpaul  (Nonna) was famous for many things, including her goodbyes. Mostly because she hated them.

She would do everything in her power to avoid them. “We can order food.”; “We can watch a movie.”; “I’ll make pastina.”; “It’s really getting late.”; “Traffic is awful.”; “You could stay over.”; Nonna never wanted the party to end…

When a goodbye inevitably occurred, it was long. She’d pack you up food, follow you out the door onto the porch and to the car and then wait. 

And it’s likely she always secretly hid something, because you’d inevitably get a call from her on the way home saying – “You know you left blah blah blah here. Do you wanna come back to get it?” She was incredibly smart in her convincing.

This skill was no doubt honed in the classroom teaching science in Newark, or, perhaps her brain sharpened the most from starting the morning with a New York Times crossword puzzle with a pen or mastering the latest sewing pattern. Nonna’s brain was SHARP.

She was the firstborn and the first in her family to attend college. She went on to meet her match in Frank, becoming affectionally known as Fran and Anne. Frank became a lawyer and Anne retired from teaching to raise their beloved four children: Luanne Peterpaul (Robin Kampf), Marianne Dowling (Ed), Tony Peterpaul (Kelly) and Frank Peterpaul (Kristen). Those children produced 12 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren one on the way). Her family was everything to her.

We can still see Nonna now – a beautiful wife, mom, grandmother, great-grandmother, cousin, aunt, sibling and friend to all – her cheery blonde hair and wide grin, waving as we drive further and further away. 

How we wish this goodbye didn’t have to happen. We know she’s on another porch now, waving to us, watching over us. 

She was summertime. She was holidays. She was infectious laughter. She was welcoming. She was inspiring. She was all things Italian culture. She was brilliant. She was fun. She was the largest order at Serpico’s. She was a night owl. She was the life of the party. She was a shopaholic. She was pop culture reader. She was a rom-com lover. She was Nivea cream. She was thoughtful. She was kind. Nonna was our happy place.

“I think I learned kindness from my grandparents,” Nonna once shared. “My grandmother died young. I was only about three and a half. But I remember how kind she was. My grandfather was especially kind, too… I always want to make sure that people are comfortable here, that they have a good time, you know, and there’s nobody that tries to hurt their feelings. Because that’s the way I grew up.”

Just like the old hit My Way, Anne Marie Vitolo Peterpaul did it her way. And her way, well, it was the best way.

She is survived by her loving four children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She will join her soulmate Frank, sister Bobbie and grandson Thomas in heaven.

Visitation Tuesday, July 1st 4:00 – 8:00 pm at the Woolley-Boglioli Funeral Home, 10 Morrell Street, Long Branch, NJ. Mass of Christian burial Wednesday, July 2nd 10:00 am at St. Mary Church, 46 Richmond Avenue, Deal, NJ. Entombment to follow in Woodbine Cemetery, Oceanport.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Thomas Peterpaul Foundation, PO Box 135, Allenhurst, NJ 07711; www.ThomasPeterpaul.org.

For messages of condolence, please visit Anne’s page of tributes at www.woolleyboglioli.com.