Fannie Josephine Mannarino

Fannie was born on a Sunday afternoon in Brooklyn, NY, the first member of her family to be born in America. Her arrival was preceded by the emigration of her father Sebastian Pavone in 1913, and later by her mother Concetta and older sister Frances, from the province of Enna in Sicily. They came by ship to the U.S., passing through Ellis Island, part of the massive European immigrant wave of the early 1900s. The family grew to include three more siblings: Sadie (Rosario), Frank, and Marie. At age 6, Fannie entered first grade at PS 133, on Butler Street near 4th Avenue. She loved school from the very beginning. Her lifelong passion was to become a teacher. Unfortunately, she was a sickly child and the medical wisdom of the time recommended she be kept home. Tuberculosis was quite common at the time, and the mere suggestion that little Fannie might succumb was enough for her mother to take her out of school. As a result, Fannie’s formal education never went beyond the sixth grade. When Fannie was 13 the Pavone family moved to a better Brooklyn neighborhood, chasing the American dream. They settled on Crescent Street in East New York. There they lived among fellow immigrants from many countries, all striving to improve their standard of living. Several doors down the street from the Pavones lived the Mannarino family. Fannie’s brother Frank became friends with their oldest son, Tommy. Although Tommy was a constant presence in the Pavone home through the 1930s, Fannie showed no interest in his many requests for a date. Later, the Mannarino family moved away from Crescent Street, and Fannie did not hear from Tommy until several years later. During World War II, Fannie worked as an assembler at Fairchild Industries in support of the defense effort. On July 19, 1943, Tommy wrote Fannie a letter (still among her keepsakes) from the Army. “Remember me?”, he started. He said that he would be returning for a short leave, and asked her if she would like to go on a date. She accepted and they went to a movie together. It was the last time they would see each other again until October, 1946, because shortly after their date, Tommy shipped out to the European Theater with thousands of other GIs. Fannie and Tommy married on January 18, 1947. Their first son was born 18 months later. Shortly after their second son was born, they purchased their first house in Queens. In 1962, they left New York City for Hempstead, NY. Tommy passed away just over two years after that, leaving Fannie alone to raise her two sons. She was fortunate to have the support of family and neighbors. By the early 1970s, when both sons were on their own, she sold her house and moved in with her sister Frances and their mom, Concetta in Franklin Square, NY. When Frances and Concetta moved to Florida in 1986, Fannie joined her older son and his family in New Hampshire. She was present when her last grandchild was born at home with a midwife. When her mother’s and sister’s health failed two years later, Fannie moved to Florida to care for them. Fannie remained there even after they passed away, surrounded by loving nieces and nephews. While in Florida, she realized her lifelong desire to teach, and Fannie taught Sunday school at St. Vincent’s Catholic Church for several years. There were many visits in each direction with her sons and grandchildren. After 24 years in Florida, Fannie gave up her condo and moved to an assisted living facility in Milford, NH, where she made many new friends. Throughout her life Fannie was the stereotypical mother/grandmother. She loved children, and her life mission seemed to be to equip every bare­headed child with a hand crocheted hat, sometimes more than one. She enjoyed cooking, reading and crocheting, and was devoutly religious. Shortly after Fannie’s extended family gathered to celebrate her 100th birthday, she was extremely proud to be presented with a high school diploma from Milford High School. Fannie passed quietly on Mother’s Day, May 8, 2016. Fannie is survived by her sons Thomas and Frank, Frank’s wife Carol, grandchildren April, Daniel and Matthew along with Matthew’s wife Erin and their children Brooklyn, Christopher, Marcas, and Mercedes. There will be a memorial service for Fannie at the St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Milford, NH, on June 24th, 2016 at 1 pm. She will be buried alongside her late husband at the Long Island National Cemetery in Farmingdale, NY, on July 11th at 11 am.