Obituary of Erna DeAnna

Erna (Ebeling) DeAnna, was born 90 years ago on November 23, 1925 in Jersey City, NJ. She grew up there the only child of German parents Erna and William Ebeling. Erna met Joseph Clifford (Cliff) DeAnna when they were both 15 years old. They married on March 27, 1948 following Erna's graduation from Barnard College in NY and Cliff's graduation from Columbia College and his service in the Navy. They are a devoted couple married for 67 years. She resided for over 30 years in Bloomfield, 20 years in Bedminster and for the past year she lived at the Chelsea at Bridgewater where she received outstanding care from both the staff and Accessible Home HealthCare. Erna graduated Barnard College Magna Cum Laude with degrees in English Literature and Psychology. She worked at NJ Bell Company until leaving to be a stay at home wife and mother. She and Cliff have 5 children; Joan and her husband Mark Mauriello, Doris and her husband Brian Mornan, Cliff and his wife Maria DeAnna, John and his wife Karen DeAnna and Robert and his wife Heather DeAnna. They have 13 grandchildren; Mary Beth, Michael, Cliff, Elizabeth, Matthew, Marissa, Kevin, Jeffrey, Kristin, Heather, Emily, Natalie and Erica. They also have 11 great-grandchildren. Erna's priority has always been her family and she has been a devoted Catholic who was very involved in church activities at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Bloomfield, NJ and Blessed Sacrament Church in Martinsville, NJ. She taught religious classes for over thirty years and along with Cliff was a member of prayer groups and the Charismatic Movement. Her favorite vacation spot was in Shokan, NY a small town outside of Woodstock in the Catskills. Her father and Cliff built a summer cabin there about 65 years ago. The family vacationed there yearly and the cabin still remains in the family. Her family has been blessed by her loving presence and beautiful spirit and will miss her greatly. She was fortunate to have many loving friends who were also blessed with her presence in their lives. A Mass of Resurrection will be held at Blessed Sacrament Church, Martinsville on Friday, January 15, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. Interment will be private. Donations in her name can be made to your local food bank.