Annette Avolio

Annette Avolio, age 72, of Wayne, passed Monday, July 31, 2023.

She was born to Americo and Filomena Malanga and raised at 174 Pine Street in Montclair. When Annette was in the sixth grade her family moved to 48 Kossuth Place in Wayne. Annette raised her family just around the corner at 7 Falcon Place in Wayne and has lived in Wayne for over sixty years.

She will be lovingly remembered as a selfless person who would do anything for anyone. She just couldn’t bring herself to say “no” and would do her best to accommodate even if it meant being in two places at once. She was the kind of person who would fuss over you but did not want any fussing or attention on her behalf.

Annette was a dedicated and devoted daughter, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend. She took care of her parents through their autumn years and until both of their passing away in 2019. Her favorite place in the world to be was at home. Whether it was caring for her children, parents, or grandchildren, she was most content to be at home in Wayne.

Annette had a love and passion for teaching. She worked for the Immaculate Heart of Mary School in Wayne as a librarian, a Para-Professional, and then a Language Arts teacher at George Washington Middle School in Wayne, and Anthony Wayne Middle School in Wayne having retried in June of 2022. For years she ran the Student Council at Anthony Wayne Middle School and was often a chaperone when needed. Annette was an old-school teacher who loved the chalkboard and textbooks but struggled with new technology. When it came to computers and cell phones she relied on her grandchildren’s help.

Family was everything to Annette and her grandchildren meant everything to her. She was always available to pick them up, drop them off, attended all their sporting events and any extra-curricular activity they were involved with. She was also dedicated to her brother Richard and in his youth she has drove him and his friends wherever they had to go, and more recently has helped him with his books at Malanga Automotive in Riverdale.

Annette was an awesome cook whose specialties include: Sunday gravy (not sauce), blueberry ice box cake, cream puffs, knot cookies, spice cookies, chicken cutlets, lasagna, and cheesecake made from her mother’s recipe. For many years the family had a tradition of having Sunday dinners with the entire family.

Another important part of her life was her Catholic faith.  Annette was a regular at 8:00 AM Sunday Mass.  She always sat in the last row closer to the isle so that she could exit the church once communion was served.

Annette was the loving mother of Louis Avolio and his wife Marisa of Wayne and Phylissa Gallotta and her husband Rocco of Wayne; cherished grandmother of Joseph Avolio, Louis Avolio, Michael Avolio, Rocco Gallotta, and Liana Gallotta; loved sister of Richard Malanga of Riverdale; dearly loved aunt of Nicholas Malanga.