Anita Fretta of Southampton Dies June 5

Anita Fretta of Southampton died on June 5. She was 91.

She was born in New York City June 12, 1931, to Katie and Vincent Aurigemma.

She moved from Manhattan to Dyker Heights, Brooklyn, to raise her family surrounded by all her sisters and brothers with their large extended families.

Holidays at Aunt/Grammie Anita’s were full of family, food, love, and laughter, her family said, which continued until they relocated to Somerset, New Jersey, to be closer to her grandchildren. There was never a missed baseball game, school play, dance recital, cheerleading competition, or graduation for her grandchildren, her family said, and she was incredibly proud of all their achievements.

Later moving to her favorite place, Southampton, with her daughter, Catherine, after the loss of her husband, over the past decade, she has lived with her daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter, Katie, enjoying her favorite pastimes, cooking, reading and sunning by the pool

She was exceptionally caring, loving, and had an incredible sense of humor, the family said. She would share the stories of her life with her grandchildren and teach them all the important lessons she learned from her own experiences. She passed on her wisdom, her skills in cooking, and the reminder to love yourself unconditionally. She was confident in who she was and had immense pride in her children’s, and grandchildren’s, accomplishments, they said. She was not only a grandmother, but a friend and trusted confidant of all her grandchildren.

She was truly a remarkable woman whose loss will be forever felt by her family, they said. She was a source of comfort, honesty, forgiveness, and love, whose passing has left a piece missing in the hearts of her loved ones. They take comfort in knowing that she missed her husband deeply and they are now reunited in God’s Kingdom, they said.

She is survived by her daughter, Catherine Paez and son-in-law Michael Paez; her son, Dr. Joseph Fretta and his wife Danka; grandson, John Fretta; and granddaughters, Katie Paez, Jenny Fretta, and Jacqueline Fretta. She was predeceased by her husband John “Poppi” Fretta.

Services were held on June 9 at R. J. O’Shea Funeral Home in Hampton Bays, followed by Mass at St. Rosalie’s RC Church and interment at Calverton National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to East End Hospice (eeh.org).