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Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Tuesday, June 7, 2016 from 4-8 PM.
Funeral Services will be held Wednesday, June 8, 2016 at 10:30 AM from the funeral home. Interment will follow at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Totowa.
Agnes R. Gizzi, age 99, of Wayne, passed away peacefully on Friday, June 3, 2016 in Greenville, SC.
Agnes was born in Paterson, the third of William and Catherine Hanna’s five children. Raised in the Stoney Road section of Paterson, she attended Central High School but, due to the Great Depression, she had to quit before graduating so she could work to help support her family. Because of high unemployment in those days young Agnes jumped around a bit, working for, amongst others, Barbizon and the local supermarket.
Agnes grew up with a nice boy named Joseph Gizzi who lived right in her neighborhood. Their life-long friendship grew into love and they ultimately married on Sunday, September 1, 1940 at St. Bonaventure Church in Paterson. After the wedding they established their first home as man and wife right where they grew up – in Paterson’s Stoney Road section.
They bought their first house together in 1943 on Rockland Street in Paterson. It is there that Agnes’ role became that of full-time homemaker and mother to her son and three daughters. Unfortunately, in 1961, Agnes’ husband Joe passed away, leaving a hole in his family’s heart and the added responsibility of breadwinner for Agnes. Her first foray back into the working world was as a crossing guard at the intersection of Paterson’s Grand Street and New Street – just three blocks from her home on Rockland Street and right by Minardi’s Bakery. She later worked as a waitress at Preakness Hills Country Club in Wayne until ultimately landing a job as a clerk with Singer Kearfott in Wayne. She worked there from 1970 to 1976 when she retired. A year later in 1977, Agnes moved to Wayne.
Agnes was the proverbial bingo queen, playing all over the Catholic church circuit. She was an avid bowler in the Paterson Women’s League where she played on the sponsored teams of Crowell’s Tavern, DeLuccia Funeral Home of Paterson, La Neve Oil Company, and her own son’s business – J. Gizzi Heating and Air Conditioning.
She really enjoyed her senior citizen clubs including the Golden Key Club of Wayne where she served as President, and the Wayne Senior Citizens at the Wayne P.A.L. Through these clubs she took many bus trips to Atlantic City where she frequented the casinos building up her arm strength pulling the lever on the slot machines, while mixing in a little roulette and black jack. Agnes developed a lot of friendships through her involvement in these clubs. She also took several trips to Las Vegas – one when she was 80 with her son Joe and daughters Judy and Diane.
Agnes was a woman whose character was molded by various challenges she faced in her long life, like living through the depression, and raising her children, predominately on her own. This caused her to be principled, determined and sometimes even a little feisty. Consequently, she always enjoyed the love and respect of her children who she taught responsibility, self-reliance, respect and right from wrong.
Agnes is survived by her dear son Joseph Gizzi and companion Nancy D’Acierno of Wayne; three cherished grandsons: Charles Puglia and wife Barbara and their children – Michael, Joshua, and Sofia of Marlton Lakes, Joseph Puglia and wife Lisa and their children – Jesse, Anna Clair, Camille, Josie, Noelle and Adeline of Colorado, and Douglas Puglia of Simpsonville, South Carolina; and her dear son-in-law Michael Puglia of Taylors, SC. She was predeceased by her beloved husband Joseph in 1961; her cherished grandson Michael Puglia in 1993; three dear daughters: Judith Gizzi in 1998, Diane Gizzi in 2014, and Carole Puglia in 2016; and four siblings: Mary Fattell, Rose Hemsey, William Hanna, and Elmer Hanna.
In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Agnes’ memory, are asked to consider Muchachos Foundation, Inc. a 501©3 organization, P.O. Box 197, Hawthorne, NJ 07506, or Gentiva Hospice, 15 Brendan Way, Greenville, SC 29615 (www.gentiva.com).
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Tuesday, June 7, 2016 from 4-8 PM.
Funeral Services will be held Wednesday, June 8, 2016 at 10:30 AM from the funeral home. Interment will follow at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Totowa.
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Tuesday, June 7, 2016 from 4-8 PM.
Funeral Services will be held Wednesday, June 8, 2016 at 10:30 AM from the funeral home. Interment will follow at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Totowa.
Agnes R. Gizzi, age 99, of Wayne, passed away peacefully on Friday, June 3, 2016 in Greenville, SC.
Agnes was born in Paterson, the third of William and Catherine Hanna’s five children. Raised in the Stoney Road section of Paterson, she attended Central High School but, due to the Great Depression, she had to quit before graduating so she could work to help support her family. Because of high unemployment in those days young Agnes jumped around a bit, working for, amongst others, Barbizon and the local supermarket.
Agnes grew up with a nice boy named Joseph Gizzi who lived right in her neighborhood. Their life-long friendship grew into love and they ultimately married on Sunday, September 1, 1940 at St. Bonaventure Church in Paterson. After the wedding they established their first home as man and wife right where they grew up – in Paterson’s Stoney Road section.
They bought their first house together in 1943 on Rockland Street in Paterson. It is there that Agnes’ role became that of full-time homemaker and mother to her son and three daughters. Unfortunately, in 1961, Agnes’ husband Joe passed away, leaving a hole in his family’s heart and the added responsibility of breadwinner for Agnes. Her first foray back into the working world was as a crossing guard at the intersection of Paterson’s Grand Street and New Street – just three blocks from her home on Rockland Street and right by Minardi’s Bakery. She later worked as a waitress at Preakness Hills Country Club in Wayne until ultimately landing a job as a clerk with Singer Kearfott in Wayne. She worked there from 1970 to 1976 when she retired. A year later in 1977, Agnes moved to Wayne.
Agnes was the proverbial bingo queen, playing all over the Catholic church circuit. She was an avid bowler in the Paterson Women’s League where she played on the sponsored teams of Crowell’s Tavern, DeLuccia Funeral Home of Paterson, La Neve Oil Company, and her own son’s business – J. Gizzi Heating and Air Conditioning.
She really enjoyed her senior citizen clubs including the Golden Key Club of Wayne where she served as President, and the Wayne Senior Citizens at the Wayne P.A.L. Through these clubs she took many bus trips to Atlantic City where she frequented the casinos building up her arm strength pulling the lever on the slot machines, while mixing in a little roulette and black jack. Agnes developed a lot of friendships through her involvement in these clubs. She also took several trips to Las Vegas – one when she was 80 with her son Joe and daughters Judy and Diane.
Agnes was a woman whose character was molded by various challenges she faced in her long life, like living through the depression, and raising her children, predominately on her own. This caused her to be principled, determined and sometimes even a little feisty. Consequently, she always enjoyed the love and respect of her children who she taught responsibility, self-reliance, respect and right from wrong.
Agnes is survived by her dear son Joseph Gizzi and companion Nancy D’Acierno of Wayne; three cherished grandsons: Charles Puglia and wife Barbara and their children – Michael, Joshua, and Sofia of Marlton Lakes, Joseph Puglia and wife Lisa and their children – Jesse, Anna Clair, Camille, Josie, Noelle and Adeline of Colorado, and Douglas Puglia of Simpsonville, South Carolina; and her dear son-in-law Michael Puglia of Taylors, SC. She was predeceased by her beloved husband Joseph in 1961; her cherished grandson Michael Puglia in 1993; three dear daughters: Judith Gizzi in 1998, Diane Gizzi in 2014, and Carole Puglia in 2016; and four siblings: Mary Fattell, Rose Hemsey, William Hanna, and Elmer Hanna.
In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Agnes’ memory, are asked to consider Muchachos Foundation, Inc. a 501©3 organization, P.O. Box 197, Hawthorne, NJ 07506, or Gentiva Hospice, 15 Brendan Way, Greenville, SC 29615 (www.gentiva.com).
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