Anna Martha Stokes

Anna Martha Stokes passed away on Thursday, November 7, 2019 at Mary Tully Hospice Inn in Melville, New York.

Anna was born to William and Lena Riggio on November 30, 1947 in Brooklyn, New York where she grew up in a household filled with her aunts, uncles and cousins. Family time, Sunday dinner and trips to Coney Island were common and enjoyed activities in the Riggio household. She was a graduate of Catherine McCauley High School, received an Associates Degree from Brooklyn College and pursued a career as an Administrative Assistant at IBM.

Anna met the love of her life, Dennis James Stokes, and was married on September 26, 1970. They moved to Dix Hills, Long Island and raised two beautiful daughters, Marie and Donna, who filled their days with soccer games, dance rehearsals and endless excitement.

For over 25 years Anna used her God-given gifts of intelligence and organizational skills to create a model library at St. Cyril and Methodius school in Deer Park and was praised and recognized not only by other libraries, but by governmental agencies as well. It served as a model for the Rockville Center Diocese and other school districts as well. She was an active member of the Library Circle and various Library Organizations. Her collaboration with the Deer Park Library helped to promote Literacy projects in the school each year. The conflict mediation program at the school helped students work out disagreements in peaceful ways.

Anna's grant writing brought funding that helped to inaugurate outstanding cooperative education initiatives and interdisciplinary programs such as the two grants from the Gilder Lehrman Society that created Web-based projects such as: “Through the Eyes of an Immigrant” and “The Faces of Slavery”.

Anna was a pioneer in coordinating library resources thus enabling students and teachers to access materials and enhance curriculum development.

When she departed St. Cyril’s in 2004 her students paid tribute to her in their yearbook:
“Look up “stoke” in the dictionary. Ironically, you will find it means “to provide fuel for.” Mrs. Stokes not only provides fuel for our minds, but also fires our enthusiasm for learning.”

Anna was an innovator, a humanitarian, a never-ending searcher for knowledge and a true teacher.

Anna and Dennis started a new chapter in their life on another island. Only this one has pinks houses and sand. With the furry love of her life, Bailey, in toe, Anna ventured to Bermuda where she would continue to influence and shape the minds of children as a volunteer at Mount Saint Agnes Academy.

When Anna wasn’t at school you could find her on the number 7 bus gallivanting around town giving tours to friends and family who would come to visit. One of her favorite places to go on the island was the restaurant, Ascots. It was the Bermuda version of “Cheers” for Anna and Dennis where everyone knew their name and were always glad, they came. The staff became a second family to them over the 11 years they spent on the island. Ascot’s owner, Angelo, summed up mom perfectly “Anna embodied all the good things about humanity. Everyone loved her energy, her wit, her persona, and most of all her smile. She was a mum to us all. She will be missed.”

Anna was preceded in death by her loving parents William Riggio and Lena Riggio. She is survived by her husband: Dennis James Stokes; Her daughters: Marie Stokes Depew and her husband Eric Depew, and Donna Stokes and her husband Gary O’Neill; Her three cherished grandchildren: Nathaniel James Depew, Luke Stokes Depew, and Sean Patrick Depew.

In Lieu of flowers please make donation in Anna's honor to The Mary Ann Tully Hospice Inn
70 Pinelawn Road Melville, NY 11747 (631)-773-6706 or visit https://www.hospicecarenetwork.org/tribute/