Obituaries
Eileen Avezzano, 72,
Soho cheesecake queen
BY GABE HERMAN
Eileen A. Avezzano, who founded
and ran Eileen’s Special Cheesecake
shop in Soho going back
to the 1970s, died Nov. 23. She would
have turned 72 on Dec. 4.
Avezzano opened the bakery in 1976
at 17 Cleveland Place, near Kenmare
St.
“It was before Cleveland Place was
even on the map,” noted her daughter
Holly Maloney.
“Eileen was an infl uential icon to
this neighborhood,” Holly added. “She
brought love and happiness to everyone
that knew her personally, and she
brought love and happiness to everyone
through her cheesecakes. My mom
was a very hardworking woman but
she made time to stop and smell the
roses.”
Avezzano was born in Philadelphia
but lived in Hewlett, Long Island, for
much of her life, where Holly and Avezzano’s
other daughter, Bonnie Ponte,
both grew up. However, Holly noted,
“My sister and I were raised in this
bakery.”
Eileen Avezzano.
Holly said Eileen’s grandchildren
would also be in the shop during holidays.
“It is still very much family-owned
and -operated,” she said, “and always
will be.” Two years ago, Holly and Bonnie
took over operations of the bakery.
“This was her life passion,” Holly
said of her mother.
“She privately battled leukemia for
two years, never wanting anyone to
worry,” she added. “Eileen was all
about love, happiness and making the
best of any situation life throws at you.
She has made a mark in this world, and
will continue to through Eileen’s Special
Cheesecake.”
Holly added about her mother, “She
was the most giving person you could
ever meet. I know people say that, but
no truer words were ever spoken about
a person. She never was negative. My
mother was just a positive person all
the time.”
Along with daughters Bonnie and
Holly, Avezzano is survived by four
grandchildren and several step-grandchildren.
Visitations were held on Nov. 27 at
Greenwich Village Funeral Home, at
199 Bleecker St., and the funeral was
held on Nov. 28 at the Basilica of St.
Patrick’s Old Cathedral on Mott St.
Anita Zonin, 86, of Artie’s hardware family
BY GABE HERMAN
Anita Zonin, a lifelong Village
resident whose family owned
Artie’s hardware store on W. 14
St., died on Nov. 26. She was 86.
The cause of death was liver cancer,
according to the family.
Zonin was born on Sept. 23, 1932,
and grew up on King St. in the Village.
She was the last survivor of six sisters.
Her father, Salvatore Pernicone, owned
Pernicone’s Butcher Shop on Sullivan
St., and her mother, Josephine Catania,
was a stay-at-home mom.
Anita and husband, Artie Zonin, were
married for 65 years. They fi rst lived
on King St. after getting married, then
moved to Hudson St., according to their
son Brian. They then moved to Morton
St. about 50 years ago, where they were
living until Anita’s death. Artie continues
to live there, and he also grew up in
the Village, on Downing St.
Anita and Artie had two sons, Brian
and Arthur, and three grandchildren,
Brianna, Michael and Kristen.
Anita was a bookkeeper at the hardware
store, at 223 W. 14 St. between
Anita Zonin.
Sixth and Seventh Aves., for 20 years.
Sons Brian and Arthur then bought the
store and she continued to work there
until it closed in 2014.
“Anita was hardworking,” Brian recalled,
“always willing to help others,
always elegantly dressed, kept a beautiful
home.”
Her son added that she was “strongwilled,
independent and generous.”
Visitation was held on Nov. 28 at
Perazzo Funeral Home, at 199 Bleecker
St., and the funeral Mass was Nov. 29
at Our Lady of Pompeii Church.
Florence Amarosa
Florence
Amarosa,
lifelong
Villager,
dies at 99
BY GABE HERMAN
Florence Amarosa, a lifelong
Greenwich Village resident
who was an active member
of the community, died Nov. 23 at
age 99.
The cause of death was heart failure,
according to her family.
Amarosa was born in 1919 on Sullivan
St., and lived there until 1930,
when her family moved to Carmine
St., according to her son Michael.
Florence and her husband, Anthony,
had one child, Michael, and
she is also survived by fi ve grandchildren
and four great-grandchildren.
Anthony died in 1995, just before his
82nd birthday. Florence was a homemaker,
and Anthony was a teamster
who drove a tractor-trailer.
“She was very strong-willed, a
very strong personality,” recalled
Michael. He said his mother was
very active in Our Lady of Pompeii
Church and its school, including its
P.T.A., and also in local senior citizen
programs. Florence traveled a
lot, Michael said, including several
times to Italy with Anthony.
“She was a great lady,” Michael
said. “She loved her neighborhood,
she loved her family, she loved her
friends. A very caring individual.”
Visitations were at Perazzo Funeral
Home on Nov. 25 and 26. On
Nov. 27, there was a Mass of Christian
Burial at Our Lady of Pompeii
Church and internment at Calvary
Cemetery in Woodside, N.Y.
Schneps Community News Group CNW December 6, 2018 11