Antonietta Lanni, 96, passed away surrounded by the love of her devoted family who were at the center of her life.
Antonietta Lanni
Born in Settefratte, Italy, Antonietta came to the United States in 1966, where she and her husband, Giustino Lanni, built a life with their family in New Canaan, Connecticut. After many years in America, Antonietta and Giustino returned to Italy, the country she loved so deeply.
During the COVID pandemic, she returned to the United States, where she spent the final years of her life close to her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and extended family.
Although she made a life on both sides of the Atlantic, Italy was always at the heart of who Antonietta was. To her, there was simply no place in the world quite like Italy—and she never hesitated to remind everyone of it. She was the quintessential Italian grandmother and the beloved matriarch of a family that now spans generations. Family, tradition, food, language, and togetherness were woven into everything she did and firmly believed that everyone she met, regardless of their nationality or ethnicity, should know how to speak Italian. Her pride in her heritage was unmistakable, and she passed that pride and those traditions down through generations.
She had a strong personality, a wonderful sense of humor, and an unforgettable presence. She spoke her mind, loved deeply, and cared fiercely for her family. Those who knew her will remember her warmth, her wit, her stories of Italy, and the unmistakable way she could fill a room.
Antonietta was predeceased by her beloved husband, Giustino Lanni, who passed away in Italy in 1983 at the age of 60 and her brothers, Domencio, Gino, and Jesse Buzzeo.
She is survived by her three children, Gino and his wife, Connie; Peter and his wife, Connie; and Marie and her husband, Guido Mazzola; her brother, Mario Buzzeo, her sister, Maria Bianco; her brother, John Buzzeo and many cherished nieces and nephews.
She also leaves behind her beloved grandchildren, Antoinette Lampert and her husband, Todd; Elena Donahue and her husband, Tommy; Maria Bruton and her husband, Sheffer; Joanna Ciardulli and her husband, Vinny; Christina Bartlett and her husband, Greg; Guy Mazzola and his wife, Michelle; and the late Tina Kinol.
Antonietta was blessed with a large family of great-grandchildren who brought her tremendous joy: Justin , Jacqueline, and Luc Lampert; Logan and Lily Motyka; Tristan and Milo Bruton, along with Alexi; Olivia, Vinny and Luke Ciardulli; Jake and Addison Bartlett; Guy Mazzola; and Austin and Riley Kinol.
Antonietta’s greatest legacy is the extraordinary family that grew around her. More than anything, she will be remembered for her devotion to family, her pride in her Italian heritage, and the unmistakable spirit with which she lived her 96 years. Her life connected two countries and several generations, leaving behind a family bound together by the traditions, stories, laughter, and love she gave them.
Family will be receiving friends and family at 11:30 followed by the Funeral Mass at 12:15 at St. Aloysius Church in New Canaan, Connecticut. Interment will follow immediately afterward at Lakeview Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Antonietta’s loving memory to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital https://www.stjude.org/ or The New Canaan Ambulance Corps https://www.newcanaanems.org/donate
The Family is being compassionately cared for by the staff at Hoyt Funeral Home, 199 Main Street, New Canaan CT 06840. For online condolences please visit www.hoytfuneralhome.com.