Anna Alonso

Anna Orestina Pirraglia was born in New York on September 16, 1926, one of three children of Teresa DeMaio and Benedetto Pirraglia, in a more genteel time.

From her father and mother, Anna developed a love of music and the arts. As a child, Anna enjoyed sketching, painting, and sculpture, sometimes choosing her subjects while in history class. She learned the art of sewing, knitting, and crocheting. Mom created beautiful crochet hats for her children for the winter, and enjoyed learning to sew clothing from her Mother. Anna worked and helped manage her family’s store in New York along with her sister Mrs. Mary Smith and her late brother Mr. Anthony Pirraglia.

Her late brother, Mr. Anthony Pirraglia and his wife Antoinette Pirraglia and their children Anthony, Bart, Benjamin, and Claudia and their grandchildren; and her sister Mrs. Mary Smith and her son Robert reside in New York and New Jersey.

As a teenager, Mom supported the wartime effort by replacing male workers who were in the American military. Mom worked with other American women in factories during World War II to produce war supplies. You could say that she was among many brave women who were titled “Rosie the Riveter.” Rosie the Riveter is a cultural icon of the United States, representing the American women who worked in factories and shipyards during World War II, many of whom produced munitions and war supplies. These women sometimes took entirely new jobs replacing the male workers who were in the military.

After the war, in 1949, she worked for United Artists freelance and while working on Wall Street, she met her husband. Two years later on September 8, 1951 she married Peter Conrad Alonso. Anna worked to support her husband to finish his Master of Business Administration at New York University in 1955, translating and typing his master’s thesis. They conceived four children in New York, three of whom survive her: Alicia Alonso, Pier Burgess, and Peter Matthew Alonso. The fourth, Bernadette Teresa Alonso Todd , succumbed to breast cancer in 2003.

Anna realized the importance of education. Not only did she advance her art education while attending Pratt Art Institute of New York City under Professor Joseph Canzani, but also studied at Queens College and Eastern Business School of New York. Anna spoke different languages, Italian, Spanish, and a bit of French which helped with her art and with her business careers.

Anna and Peter Alonso moved from Long Island, New York and arrived in Lancaster, Ohio in 1963, where Peter joined the International Division of Anchor Hocking Glass Corporation. Mom continued assisting Peter with his business ventures in Lancaster, Ohio with their company, PCA World Inc. as a Vice President Secretary Treasurer in 1990 - 2000.

Anna quickly became involved in community activities in Lancaster. She especially liked volunteering for school and the church functions at Saint Bernadette’s Elementary School by teaching water color class and other art related activities to her children and their classmates. Over the years, she participated in church fund raisers and charities, creating special quilts, and crocheting for the soldiers. Anna also volunteered her time at the nursing home of Mother Angelina McCrory Manner in Columbus, Ohio.

Mom took great pleasure in her garden, planting seasonal flowers and tending to her herb plants. She always used fresh herbs in her delicious salads. She also enjoyed socializing and playing tennis doubles with her girlfriends in the summers and enjoyed refreshing cool swims at the pool with her children at the club in Lancaster. Mom loved the beach; she would always bring her watercolors, paint brushes and paint with us by the seashore on relaxing family summer vacations. Her love of the water was instilled by her father who invited her to go clam digging with him at the beach by the Atlantic Ocean. Mother enjoyed traveling with her family and on occasions for business with her love of her life, Peter. As time went by Mom enjoyed cheering on her grandchildren in many school activities and different sports games, attending their high school and college graduations in California, Texas, and Florida. She was a wonderful wife, great mother, and very thoughtful loving grandmother and aunt. She was always positive and Mom was always very constructive with her time. She loved a good book and enjoyed visiting the Fairfield Public library.

Mother’s uncle, the late Orazio De Maio was a concert pianist and maestro in Rome, Italy. He established the school of music and ballet, Centro Danza Tersicore of Latina. Her cousin Rodolfo De Maio continues his musical legacy today. In the year of 2001 special music was created by Orazio for his niece Anna and husband Peter for their 50th wedding anniversary upon their visit to Europe. September 8, 2015 would have been the 64th anniversary of wedded bliss.

Anna Alonso is survived by her husband Peter Conrad Alonso; her sister Mrs. Mary Smith and son Robert Smith; her daughters Alicia Alonso; her daughter Pier Alonso Burgess and her husband Glenn Burgess and their children. Russell Burgess and wife Courtney, Nichole Burgess Urbanus and husband Christopher, and Peter Burgess;and her son Peter Matthew Alonso and wife Michelle Morgan Alonso and their children Peter Alonso , and Alex Alonso; son in law Dennis Todd and grandchildren Kristin Todd, Katie Todd, Kyle Todd, and Cyanne Todd.

Anna loved her nieces and nephews on the East Coast; Mr. and Mrs. Bart Pirraglia and sons, Michael and Matthew, Mrs. and Mrs. Anthony Pirraglia and Christopher and Kailene, and Mr. Benjamin and Michelle Pirraglia who reside in New York, and New Jersey.

A service of remembrance will be celebrated at Saint Bernadette’s Catholic Church in Lancaster, Ohio with Father Kessler officiating on Wednesday, September 9, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. Internment will take place at Floral Hills Memory Gardens after Mass.

Donations can be given to FairHoPe Hospice and Palliative Care, Fairfield Medical Center- Palliative Care Unit, American Heart Association, and Saint Bernadette Catholic Church in Lancaster, Ohio.

Mass of Christian Burial

10:00 AM ,Wednesday, September 9, 2015
St. Bernadette Catholic Church
1343 Wheeling Road Lancaster, OH 43130

Burial

Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Floral Hills Memory Gardens
351 Coonpath Road NE Lancaster, OH 43130
Notes: Following the service.