Anna Piccolo

Anna Piccolo of Middletown, N.Y., died Monday, Feb. 5, peacefully at home surrounded by her family. She was 87.
Anna was born in Naples, Italy, on July 16, 1930, and raised by her parents Pasquale and Angela Romano Ciccarelli in Madonna Dell’Arco. As a young woman, she learned sewing and embroidery skills at the Convent. She immigrated to America in 1958 after marrying her childhood sweetheart Pietro Piccolo. She was a professional seamstress and retired from Calvert Coat Factory in Middletown. Her true life’s work was raising her family with her beloved husband. Anna taught herself English, how to manage a home, and was an exceptional self-taught cook. She enjoyed learning new skills such as crocheting. Most of all she loved spending time with her children, husband, and grandchildren. She was selflessly devoted to her family and served as example of the values of education, hard work, thrift, sharing, personal responsibility and citizenship.
Anna is survived by her loving husband, Pietro Piccolo, at home; daughters, Anna Maria Piccolo and her husband William Lissak of East Greenbush, N.Y., Rina Cleary and her husband, Kevin, of Milford, Pa.; Lisa Piccolo and her husband, Paul A. Keskey, from New Paltz, N.Y.: son, Alessandro Piccolo and his wife, Sardana Belkin, of Rumson, N.J.; and six grandchildren, Christina, James, Joseph, Jake, Sophia, Stella.
Her brother Giovanni Ciccarelli, sisters Carmella, Archetta, Rachelina Ciccerelli and several nieces and nephews in the United States and in Italy. She was predeceased by her brother Salvatore, Ciro Raffaele Ciccarelli and her sister Elena Barone.
Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 8, at Applebee-McPhillips Funeral Home, 130 Highland Ave., Middletown. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 9, at St. Joseph’s Church, 149 Cottage St., Middletown. Entombment will follow in the Queen of Peace Mausoleum in St. Joseph’s Cemetery.