Antoinette (Farnese) Ossman

This is the story of Antoinette (Farnese) Ossman.  The youngest of six siblings, she was born in Avellino, Italy, and emigrated with her family by boat when she was 5 years old.  Antoinette was a wonderful woman. “Noni,” as she liked to be called by her grandchildren, “Donette” as she was called when she was little, and “Toni”, “Ant”, or Antoinette as her family and friends knew her, was an amazing wife, mother, grandmother, and daughter.  

Toni was most known for her love of family, friends, and children, and nothing made her happier than the time she spent socializing with them.  She could often be seen simultaneously talking on the phone, chatting with her kids, and having another call on hold, without ever missing a beat.  She loved to exercise and be outdoors; whether going to the gym, walking or running around the neighborhood, or even doing laps around the dining room table when the weather was bad.  Toni’s Italian heritage was an important part of her life. She especially enjoyed the large family dinners that would go on for hours where the food and homemade wine seemed to have no end. She enjoyed baking, and is probably best known for her Rice Krispie treats, which she seemed to bring wherever she went for all to enjoy. Toni loved to travel with her family and went all over the country and Europe with them, the highlight being when she returned to Italy and visited her family in the town she was born.  She had a long career as an administrative assistant working for Seymour Blinds, Toshiba Inc, Federal Paper Board and Ingersoll Rand.

Toni lived for many years in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, and had one daughter, Kristen Andretta.  While working at Toshiba she met the love of her life, Cliff Ossman, who she would marry and move with to Pearl River, New York. She became a second mother to her stepchildren Anne McEnery and James Ossman, and later to her children’s spouses, Tony Davis, Mike McEnery, and Andrea Ossman.

Toni had six grandchildren (Victoria, Trevor, and Sophia Davis, Joshua and Molly McEnery, and Lorna Ossman) whom she loved dearly.  They were the light of her life and she always had a smile for them.

Toni had a large, loving family: siblings Dino Farnese, Mary and Joe D’Ascoli, Eufemia and Mario Ferrara, Amelia and Dominick Passaro, and Carmela and Jerry Nickerson; sister-in-law and brother-in-law Gail and Richard Weiler; and too many nieces and nephews to mention here.  She loved them all.

And so the story goes on until we see our Noni, Honey, and Mom again. We love, miss, and will always cherish you.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated 10:30 am Friday at St. Aedan R. C.Church, Pearl River.  Visiting is Thursday from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 pm at Wyman-Fisher Funeral Home Inc.

In lieu of flowers please make donations to your local Alzheimer’s Association or St. Joseph’s Childrens Hospital in Paterson, NJ

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