Ann (Angelina) Fiorentino

Ann (Angelina) Fiorentino

In 1925, she was born in New York City. In her early childhood years, she spent afternoons at the University Settlement House in Manhattan (Rivington & Eldridge Streets) where she joined the Modern Dance Group. She studied there for more than ten hours per week. Also at the Settlement House was Tony Curtis (Bernard Schwartz then) who was in the drama group. She performed at Madison Square Garden, where she was spotted by a professional ballet master who awarded her a scholarship at her school on 5th Ave and 53rd Street.

While there, she met and practiced with Jerome Robbins who did the choreography for West Side Story, On The Town, etc. She also had occasion to know Cyd Charisse and other well-known dancers. After going to Hollywood, she also did some ballroom dancing with her partner at several nightclubs including the Latin Quarter, arranged by her ballroom dancing instructor.

She spent her summers dancing with Michael Fokine, ballet legend of the ballet world.  She did several performances on Broadway including “I Hear America Singing” and “Peter and the Wolf.”  Upon her father’s death, she had to help support her mother and her two younger brothers. She went to work on Wall Street in the Commodity Futures Markets. She returned to college and got a teaching degree and taught mathematics for many years in Wayne and Pompton Lakes. Her class won the stock market competitions almost every year and finally in 1993 became New Jersey State Champs over all schools in New Jersey including colleges. Even though retired, she continued teaching in Wayne, Pompton Lakes, and Pompton Plains until 85 years of age. She loved teaching and mathematics.

She was a parishioner of Our Lady of Consolation Church and a member of the Amity Club and Prayer Shawl Ministry. She also was a member of the Golden Age Group of Wayne. She was editor of the Amity Women’s Club Newspaper.

In 1948 at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, she married Alfred Fiorentino, who earned many prestigious awards for his research and design of missile systems for the U.S. Army. She and Alfred have 3 children- Fred (married to Nina), Diane, and Karen (married to Edward)- 8 grandchildren, one great granddaughter, three great grandsons, and another great granddaughter on the way. She will be remembered not only as a dedicated and loving teacher, but also for her open house dinners every Sunday with 10-20 family members and friends coming.  

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Angelina’s name are asked to consider:

Foundation Fighting Blindness
Donations can be mailed directly to:
Foundation Fighting Blindness, P.O. Box 45740, Baltimore, MD 21297-5740
You can also donate online by clicking here