Condolence: She looks like an angel in this photo. Such a warm expression. Our hearts are with you.

Condolence: She was a child of the Bronx who read the entire Book of Knowledge by the time she was 10 years old; A student who entered Hunter College at the age of sixteen and who wrote in her college year book, “My life shall be my masterpiece”; A woman who placed great value on friendship and cherished her friends; Who was passionate about many things – art, opera, travel, decorating her home, reading, and the written word; A “fashionista” before there ever was such a word who would wear skirts and high heels to picnics because, as she explained, “you never know who you’re going to meet”; A lover of all things Italian; A voracious reader who had the intriguing habit of reading a book at the beginning, then turning to the end, and finishing in the middle; A loyal wife, and a mother who was not afraid to think out of the box and consider any new treatment options, however unusual, that would heal her husband and her daughter, “little Atha”; A fierce protector of her home and family who showed her children how to hold on to joy even in the midst of turmoil and tragedy; An inspiring teacher of Italian who made a difference in the lives of many of her students and who was brave enough to take them on trips abroad, where they had some unforgettable adventures; A writer and colorful storyteller of life on Arthur Avenue in the early 20th Century; A spinner of tales, sometimes hilarious, like the one about the origin of her name, “Atha”; A lover of parties who enjoyed bringing people together and who would always make room for one more, believing in the phrase, “the more, the merrier”; A great talker who could spend hours on the phone with her friends and who would follow her daughter Donna into the bathroom to finish telling a story; A lover of life even when life brought almost unbearable pain; A lover of food, sometimes to excess, which could extend to the bizarre, as when she polished off an entire jar of mayonnaise; A keeper secrets, especially the one about her birth day; A woman who preferred the night and would stay up until 3 in the morning, watching reruns of Downton Abbey or Colin Firth in Pride and Prejudice, or late-night TV shows like Stephen Colbert; A grandmother and great grandmother who could reach across the generation gap to meet her children’s children and their children on their own turf; A loveable, inspiring, eccentric, unique, original, and incomparable one of a kind, the mother we loved – Angiolina Atha Elizabeth Di Iorio Conte, born on the 4th day of November – or was it the 1st day of November? In the year 1919 – an Italian masterpiece!

Condolence: Dear Atha, From the time I met you it was instant affection & love. Stories of your life were poetic and made a group laugh. My heart is broken & a light in the world has dimmed. But you still shine in my heart as my "Renaissance woman". With love, Pat

Condolence: Dear Conte Family, My deepest condolences on Atha's passing. She was always so very special to me.I loved your Mom/grandmother/great-grandmother very much. I hope you can take solace in knowing that she and my mom are together talking about opera and Italy! All my love, Anne Marie