Anna Marie Richner's Obituary
Anna Marie Richner, beloved wife of Albert Richner for 45 indescribably happy years, passed away unexpectedly, cradled in the deep endless love of her devoted husband and precious family, on Saturday November 2, 2024. We who loved her so very much and were constantly embraced by her boundless unconditional love, so much more than words could ever convey, treasure all the days and nights that we were so very blessed to have her and love her so deeply. Our beloved Anna, on the wings of the angels was taken heavenward to eternal peace, to dwell with our Heavenly Father and Jesus and all the angels, reunited with her dearly beloved parents and grandparents and so many loved ones. She is our guardian angel for eternity, the cherished mother of Sharon Andreasen (Dan), cherished stepmother of Lee Halarewicz (deceased), cherished stepmother of Tamara Kravec (Taras); beloved grandmother of Emily Ellenburg (Zach), Bret Andreasen (Amber) and Katrina Andreasen; beloved step-grandmother of Stephan Halarewicz, Adrian Halarewicz, Kathryn Halarewicz, Alexander Kravec (fiancée Josie) and Larysa Kravec; joyful great-grandmother of Evelyn Ellenburg, Emmett Andreasen, Violet Andreasen, Arthur Andreasen, Penelope Andreasen and Frederik Andreasen; loving sister of Vincent La Ganga (Maria, deceased) and Jean Sgroi (Michael, deceased); treasured aunt of Esther La Ganga, Gina Tomkewicz (Eric), Diane Maguire (Paul) and Michele Sgroi; loving sister-in-law of Thomas Richner (Donnelle) and Anita Gembreska (John); dearest aunt of all of the nieces and nephews in the Richner family.
Anna was born July 12, 1942 in Staten Island to James and Constance (Cassano) La Ganga, who were both first generation Italian. Anna was named after her maternal grandmother who had traveled from near Bari, Italy to New York in 1904, when she was just sixteen. Anna’s grandmother met and married Luigi Cassano in 1906. Luigi had also arrived in 1904 from near Bari, Italy. Together they began a family in Manhattan that would eventually grow to eight children. On an ice dealer’s income in the 1920’s, they were able to buy a three-story apartment building on Staten Island that included a large backyard area. It would become ideal for future family events, cookouts, and Labor Day chess challenge events between her uncles, complete with trophies. Anna’s parents, Jim and Connie, lived in that apartment building with son Vincent and daughter Jean when Anna was born. And so there she grew up in the second-floor apartment, grandparents on the first floor, aunts and uncles on the third floor. An aunt and uncle lived next door, another aunt and uncle lived across the street. It was a large close-knit family. What fun they had and traditions they celebrated. On warm summer nights the aroma of Italian bread filled the air from nearby bakeries.
With all those aunts and uncles, along came many cousins, growing up close together, constantly around each other, graduating together, attending church together. So many baptisms, confirmations and weddings at Holy Rosary Church, their neighborhood Parish. That strong bond still exists today. Cousins’ reunions and family reunions were always so important and a very exciting fun time for Anna, especially after moving to Cleveland in 1972. Their most recent reunion was just this past August on Staten Island. All the girl cousins. Nothing but fun, laughter and the sharing of great family stories and memories.
Anna’s paternal grandparents were from Sicily. Sebastiano and Vincenza La Ganga. They came to New York in 1910, settling in the Bronx and eventually moving to Staten Island, where they owned a large house, on a broom maker’s income. The house had five apartments, four of which were, of course, occupied by aunts and uncles and cousins. It was the same experience all over again, just like her home with her parents and maternal grandparents.
After high school Anna worked in Manhattan for several different companies, commuting every day on the Staten Island Ferry, past the Statue of Liberty which she loved very much. She knew the famous poem by heart. It was the best ride in the world for a nickel. Her first job in Cleveland was Administrative Assistant to the Corporate Architect and the Chief Engineer for the Jacobs, Visconsi & Jacobs Company. She went on to work for Magnavox, Great Northern Mall Management, Superior Staffing and Wagner Home Improvement, retiring in 2004.
Anna’s exuberance, her love for life, her genuine caring, her willingness to listen and help in any way possible, her attentiveness to all her family and friends were all traits that could not be resisted. When you met her, you couldn’t help but want to become her friend.
Anna and Al were married in 1979. They were from two different worlds, brought together by unique circumstances that they truly believed were destiny. Over the course of their 45 years of marriage, birthdays, holidays, Christmas Eve dinners, New Years Eve, graduations, the weddings of their children and later the grandchildren, were all gifts that kept on giving. Anna was the mother, grandmother and great grandmother who anticipated, planned and ensured the success of all the celebrations in our family.
She was an amazing chef. She loved cooking and collecting recipes. Her recipe collection numbers in the thousands. Magazine cutouts, cookbooks, autographed cookbooks, and handwritten recipes, especially from her cherished mother and favorite aunts. Anna and Al loved preparing and eating their favorite meals at home together. Al was the helper, of course. Her biggest joy was a trip to the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Truly a beautiful experience.
Anna was dedicated to eating healthy, plus regular body sculpting exercise and chair yoga at the senior center. She was an avid walker in earlier times.
Daughter Sharon and stepdaughters Lee and Tamara were a constant source of joy, laughter, love and fulfillment, especially when the three of them were telling her that she was going to be a grandmother, not once, but eight times, Emily, Bret, Katrina, Stephan, Adrian, Kathryn, Alexander and Larysa. Anna was always ready to shower her daughters with love and advice, and yes, spoil the grandchildren. Ultimately, two of those grandchildren grew up and got married, Emily (Zach) and Bret (Amber), and the cycle began all over again with six great grandchildren, Evelyn, Emmett, Violet, Arthur, Penelope and Frederik.
Anna and Al did manage to fit in travel, vacations and a timeshare. New York City, Las Vegas, California, Hawaii, Cancun, Aruba, London, Paris, Venice, Flornce, Rome, Athens, Istanbul, and the Greek islands. Lately, they were just enjoying each other and their retirement years together.
We are celebrating Anna’s beautiful life and mourning deeply the loss of her and the true beauty and love we received from her while she was here with us on earth. We know she is in heaven watching over us.
May she always be at peace in the arms of our lord Jesus Christ and may we hold her in our hearts forever and ever.
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