Ann Eufemia Luna

Ann Eufemia Luna passed peacefully from this life to the next on March 31 in Portland, Maine. She was 96 years old. Ann was born in Manhattan, NY, the daughter of immigrants, Michael and Mary Eufemia from Castelmezzano, Italy. Ann was an active, outgoing and athletic child. She grew up in Riverdale, NY, where her parents were servants on the Paterno Estate. Ann received her bachelors degree from Hunter College in New York City and her masters degree from Hofstra University. She taught elementary school for 26 years, first at St Thomas the Apostle School and later at the Garden City Park School both on Long Island in Nassau County, NY. During World War II, she married Albert Luna a childhood friend of her older brother, Joe. They had seven children and overcame the challenges of two early childhood deaths and three children born with congenital neurologic disabilities. Ann lived a life of service and was always a formidable and tenacious fighter for victims of discrimination. She became active in the civil rights movement in the late 1950s. In the 1960s, Ann was an officer in the Nassau County (NY) Interfaith-Interracial Council and president of the Catholic Interracial Council. Ann provided volunteer service to the blind, to cancer patients, to infants with brain injuries, and children with reading disabilities. She was an active Catholic who served in the ministry of consolation, attending funerals for those having few mourners/family. She served as a lay Eucharistic minister and lector. She was active in the Columbiettes service organization and president of the Legion of Mary and Altar Rosary Sodality. She held office in local chapters of AARP and the National Federation of Womens Clubs. She was a member of the Meadow Lane Estates Residents Board (NY) and Fairways Residents Board (FL). She was a geronteer for many years at the Holly Patterson Geriatric Institute (Uniondale, NY) where she transported and fed residents and managed the gift/thrift shop. Ann researched and wrote her own newspaper advice column for seniors, The Answer Lady, from the age of 85 until she was 92 when her declining vision made it impossible to continue. She crocheted hundreds of hats for premature infants and cut out manufacturers coupons for the financially disadvantaged. She moved to Portland, ME, and volunteered at the St Vincent de Paul Soup Kitchen until she was 95 years old. Anns lifetime of service will be recognized with a state of Maine Remember ME Award, to be awarded posthumously by the Maine Health Care Association at a ceremony at the Civic Center in Augusta, ME, on April 14th. Ann loved to travel, dance, play bocce and go bowling. (She bowled a 200 game at the age of 80.) She also loved to play cards and board games, and was a voracious reader. She lived in Manhattan, Yonkers and New Hyde Park, NY. After she retired from teaching, she lived in Forked River, NJ, East Meadow, NY, Orlando, FL, and Portland, ME. Faith, family and service were central to Anns life. She was the matriarch of a family of more than 50 people and was proud of its diversity of race, religion and sexual orientation. Ann was predeceased by her husband of 42 years, Albert, her children, Cathleen, Gerard, and Mary Ann Scott, her grandson, Christopher Washington, and her siblings, Sadie, Bridget, Joe and Alfred. She is survived by her children, Christine Washington, Paul (Cathy), Rita, and Tom (Alicia), 16 grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren. Anns family expresses their profound appreciation for the tender, compassionate and loving care she received from the staff at Fallbrook Woods Assisted Living Facility (Portland, ME), Hospice of Southern Maine, and the Stewart Center (Falmouth, ME). You were vessels of our Lords grace. Thank you. Visiting hours will be held from 4 to 7 PM on Friday, April 7, 2017 at Conroy-Tully Walker Funeral Home, 172 State St, Portland, ME. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday April 8, 2017 at 10 AM at St Pius X Roman Catholic Church, 492 Ocean Ave, Portland, ME. Burial will be held at a later date. To view Anns memorial page, or to share an online condolence, please visit www.ConroyTullyWalker.com In lieu of flowers, those who wish may make contributions in Anns memory to the charity of ones choice.