Anna Scamardo

Anna Scamardo, 94 passed away peacefully on Sunday, December 29, 2024, in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. She was born May 23, 1930, in San Giuseppe Jato, Sicily, Italy. After marrying her childhood sweetheart Pasquale, they immigrated to the United States to Rochester, New York in 1955, then relocated to Madison, Wisconsin in 1958 and started a family with the support of a strong Italian community there. Anna was naturalized a U.S. citizen in 1966. In 1988, she relocated with her husband to New York City until retiring to Jacksonville Beach in 1999. She was married to Pasquale 67 years until his passing in 2022.

 The eldest of 4, Anna fully embodied the classic immigrant story. Filled with determination and perseverance and having endured the trauma of World War II, she desired to escape the poverty of Sicily’s post war era. The Catholic Church provided comfort throughout her life. As a child, she often sought refuge at a local convent where she learned to sew and embroider. Those exceptional sewing skills were put to good use in America as she worked for 3 decades as a seamstress and dressmaker to help provide for her family beginning with upscale men’s suit brand Hickey-Freeman based in Rochester, and then, in Madison at the famed Manchester’s Department Store and, the luxury apparel retailer Woldenberg’s, both located on the city’s Capital Square, the premiere shopping district. 

 Not surprisingly, Anna loved adventure and travel, and she was determined that, now as an American, her family was going to see as much of the country she now called home as possible. This led to many summertime trips including a very classic American Route 66 road trip to California complete with scarf and Ray-Bans in the family Buick Wildcat. In 1971, Anna returned to her home country for the first time with her entire family and close friends in tow for an epic summer long vacation to reunite with her family and to tour Italy from Palermo to Naples to Florence to Rome and Venice and all stops in-between. An incredible and unforgettable experience to say the least.

 Anyone who knew Anna knows she was passionate about a lot of things, but fashion and American movies were top of the list. She had Elizabeth Taylor looks and a Hollywood flair and style that was no doubt influenced by the many films she watched. Beginning as a young girl, she would often defy cultural norms and sneak into her local town’s movie theater conveniently located across the street (Cineteatro Siviglia) from where she lived with the help of her cousin who was projectionist to see the latest film. As an adult, she was an avid Late, Late Show viewer and since the advent of home video, she amassed a large collection of films like What’s Up Doc?, It Happened in Naples, Dr. Zhivago, and Moonstruck, just a few of her favorites.

 Anna is survived by her daughter, Angela Castro who resides in Jacksonville Beach, FL and son, Salvatore A. Scamardo who resides in New York City and two grandchildren Nicole and Lauren Castro.

 A special Celebration of Life service will be held at 2PM, Friday January 24, 2025, at nursing and rehabilitation center Avante of Jacksonville Beach, 1504 Seabreeze Ave, with Father Kelly of St. Paul’s Catholic Church as Celebrant.