Anne Alesi

Tribute to Mom

Anne Alesi (nee DeMita), beloved mother, passed on Palm Sunday, March 24, 2024. She was 91.

Born in NYC on July 26, 1932 to Michael and Filomena DeMita, she was the fifth-born of six daughters. Her sisters were Marjorie, Isabel, Gloria, Rita and Geraldine.

Anne was raised in Long Island City, Queens, NY, near 50th Ave and Vernon Blvd. She grew up with lots of extended family right in her neighborhood. Her father was a tailor and had his shop on the first floor of their house. There was a police station next door which is still there today. Also still nearby is St Mary’s Church, where Anne attended elementary school. She always wanted to go to school in the city, so when it came to go to high school, she attended Julia Richman High School on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. With the Vernon/Jackson subway stop right near her home, the city was only one stop away. Anne excelled academically throughout her years in school. She wanted to keep up with the example set by her older sisters.

Being such a large family, they didn’t have much money growing up. Anne often joked about them all sharing the same pair of roller skates, or having to be pushed in the same stroller that was falling apart by the time it was passed down to her. She had a very happy childhood and was particularly close with her mother. Her mom would cook every day for the eight of them, often making her own pasta from scratch. On Sundays after church, it was time for the family to come together to sit down for a home-cooked pasta dinner in the afternoon.

Anne graduated high school in 1950. She soon started working at the Singer Sewing Machine Company for many years. Several years later, her sister Rita’s husband Jack brought his friend Gus to a party in the basement of Anne’s house in Long Island City. Jack and Gus grew up together in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Anne and Gus began dating and married a few years later on January 21, 1962. They moved to the third floor apartment in Gus’s house in Brooklyn, his mother lived on the first floor.

In the summer of 1966, Anne was 9 months pregnant and went into labor. During a record 103 degree heat wave, Gus rushed Anne to their hospital in the city in a car with no air conditioning. On July 3, 1966, their son Joseph Charles Alesi was born.

Anne now stayed home to raise her family. Anne and Gus decided they wanted to move to the suburbs for more room, a yard and a good public school system. Anne also wanted a house with a front porch. In November 1968, they moved to the perfect house in Baldwin, Long Island, NY. It had a nice yard, great schools in walking distance and a front porch. On June 8, 1970, Anne gave birth to their son Gregory Michael Alesi. Anne’s sisters Margie and Rita soon moved to Baldwin too. They all lived within three blocks of one another and their kids all grew up together.

Anne selflessly defined herself as a devoted wife and a nurturing, caring mother to her boys. After growing up in a family with five sisters, she always wanted boys. God granted her that wish. She raised her family in a loving, happy home for many years. Anne was always thankful for her blessings and bestowed a sense of thankfulness toward her children. Her kids went to public schools, but were brought up attending Catholic mass every Sunday. Anne continued the tradition of having a big pot of sauce on the stove every Sunday and having dinner in the afternoon. Gus bought a barbershop right in Baldwin and their kids enjoyed a wonderful childhood as they grew into young adults.

Anne’s husband Gus passed away suddenly in 1997. As shocking as this was for the family, it brought Anne and her sons even closer together.

A few years later, Anne moved to the same adult community as her sister Gloria down the Jersey Shore. Her sister Rita and her husband Jack moved from Baldwin to the same community around the same time. About four years later, her sister Gerry moved to another community nearby. Anne was now living a happy life with lots of family around. Her sons Joe and Greg moved from New York to New Jersey too. 

In 2017, Anne needed to move to an assisted living facility because of mobility issues. The Chelsea at Fanwood, her new home, was much closer to her children. Anne was shy at first, but quickly adjusted and thrived in the lifestyle at Chelsea. Soon she was never in her room, always with her new friends in the living room or attending activities, especially Bingo. Her friends and the staff at Chelsea often commented on how much they love Anne. 

The greatest legacy people can leave is how they treat others. Anne’s sister Margie would often say her sister Anne has a heart of gold. Anne will always be remembered by her family and friends as a person who was truly beautiful inside and out.