Ann Pagano

Ann Pagano (Di Pasquale), age 92, of Wayne, passed away peacefully on Sunday, October 16, 2022.

Ann was born and raised in the Sandy Hill section of Paterson where she had the distinct honor of being voted Queen of the Campus while attending Eastside High School. She graduated with the Class of 1945.

When Ann was just a young little girl, she lived in a neighborhood in Paterson with lots of kids her age. One of those kids was a young boy named Joe Pagano who would come visit his cousin who happened to live across the street from Ann. The three of them, Ann, Joe, and Joe’s cousin, along with a bunch of other friends would often play ball, ride bike, and just spend time together near Ann’s house. Ann’s mom got to know these kids and would often look out the window and watch them play. She really took a liking to little Joey Pagano. As the kids grew into their teens, Ann got a job working at the lunch counter at Woolworth’s department store. Joe started taking a different kind of liking to Ann and oftentimes he’d visit her at work. He’d come in and say something to the effect of “How about a soda Ann?” She’d reply with “Do you have any money to pay for the soda? No money, no Coke.” On Friday and Saturday nights when Ann was about to get out of work, Joe would often show up to walk her home or they would go catch a movie. Then one summer, Joe’s grandma bought him a car for $300 and Joe and Ann and their friends started going to Paramus Beach. That was usually on a Sunday and after a day in the sun, Joe and Ann would come home, get a shower and they’d be off to the movies again. Eventually Joe got a motorcycle and one day, out of the blue, he said to Ann, “I think I’ll sell this motorcycle and we can get married.” A little surprised, Ann replied, “How do you know I want to marry you?” Joe answered by exclaiming, “I figured you might consider it since you seem to like to hang out with me.” Well, they did marry, on Sunday, June 8, 1952 at St. Anthony’s Church on Beach Street in Paterson. After a reception at the Dover Club on 20th Ave. and State Street, they got in their car and drove to Florida for their honeymoon

Ann and Joe first lived together in an apartment in Paterson on Trenton Ave. Joe started his own construction business and one of his first jobs was building a beautiful home for Ann and himself on Jackson Avenue in Wayne. They enjoyed a fairytale marriage of about one month shy of 66 years until Joe’s passing in May of 2018. In all those years, they lived in that same home.

After high school, Ann did clerical work many years for Federal Cleaners, a drying cleaning chain in Paterson. She also volunteered at Chilton Hospital in Pequannock and eventually she accepted a full-time job offer from the hospital. In addition to her work outside the home Ann kept the books for her husband Joe’s business, Joson Construction, Inc.

As a young woman, Ann pursued an interest she had in painting. She experimented a lot and took lessons too. She became quite accomplished and a self-portrait she painted will be displayed during her funeral services. Being a true believer in the value of daily exercise, Ann was a regular at the Wayne YMCA where she’d get together with friends to play tennis and to swim on a consistent basis throughout her adult life. Together, she and Joe had a great love for getting out with friends on their boat in Lake Hopatcong. Throughout the years they owned three boats together. Starting off with an old used Chris Craft, their third one was their first new one and they named her “Fancy Free”. For too many years to count they also took annual vacations down the Jersey shore, always choosing to stay at a place called the Wind Drift in Avalon by the Sea, with her sister Gloria and Gloria’s husband Walter. Neither Ann nor Joe were ones to sit around. Another favorite pastime was going to the Meadowlands, Monmouth Park or the Delaware Park and Casino where Joe would bet on the horses and Ann would enjoy helping him spend all his winnings at a nice restaurant with some of their friends.

Ann’s faith in God was foundational to her life. She was a regular at both St. Mary’s Church in Pompton Lakes and Our Lady of Consolation Church in Wayne.

Ann was the beloved wife of Joseph Pagano who passed away in 2018. She is survived by her sister Gloria Schleser of Butler; her nephew Wayne Ray of Pequannock; great-nephews: Albert Aboyoun, III and wife Gina of Wayne, and Joseph Aboyoun and wife Liz of Paterson; and great-great-nephew Michael Joseph Aboyoun and another great-great-nephew on the way. In addition to her husband Joe, Ann was predeceased by her brother Orlando Di Pasquale in 2013 and his wife Carol Di Pasquale in 1962, brother-in-law Walter Schleser in 1992, nephew Harold Di Pasquale in 2012, niece Marilyn Aboyoun in 1992 and her husband Albert Aboyoun, Jr. in 2015, and her nephew Benny Di Pasquale in 2009 and his wife Laurie in 1992.

Those planning an expression of sympathy in Ann’s name are asked to consider:

American Cancer Society
P.O. Box 42040
Oklahoma City, OK 73123
800-227-2345