Palmina, better known as Palma by her large family and friends, died on June 28, 2016. She was 99 years old.
Palma’s story began on March 4, 1917, in Torella dei Lombardi, a small town near Naples, in southern Italy. She was one of 11 siblings born to Antonia and Giuseppe Intintoli. She married Rocco Petito in 1939 and had a son, Anthony. Life during World War II was frightening and heartbreaking. Palma had her husband Rocco and six of her brothers fighting on both sides in this conflict. Her husband and her youngest brother gave their lives for their country. Palma remarried and her second husband died before the war was over. She returned to her parents’ family for aid and comfort and to wait on an immigration quota to come to the United States. Finally, on Christmas Eve 1955, she and her son, along with her brother Alfonso and his family arrived to what was to them the promised land and a reunion with all her brothers and sisters.
Living in Port Washington, life turned for the better. Palma held a job, worked every spare moment in her garden and become very proud to see her immediate family grow. She saw her son Anthony become a teacher, marry Linda Viola, also a teacher, and settle only a mile or two from her in Port Washington. Linda and Anthony had two boys, Anthony, Jr., and Joseph. Palma loved her two grandsons, now the focus of her life, who grew up to be responsible adults and professionals in the health field. Anthony, Jr., a medical doctor, married Liza Ward in 1995. Joseph, health insurance executive consultant, married Jennifer Dosin in 1998. Both have three children. Palma was always elated when her six great-grandkids, Rocco, Owen, Benjamin, Isabella, Sofia and Andrew, came to visit. All were her pride and joy and she never stopped talking about them with anyone who would listen.
Palma is survived by her sister Florence Toth, who still lives only a few houses from her on Henderson Avenue, and a slew of nieces and nephews. All her brothers, and her sister Elvira, passed on before her. An interesting fact is that Palma and all her siblings have lived all or most of their lives in Port Washington. Her father, Giuseppe Intintoli, came to Port in 1897 to be a sand miner.
The family of Palma Petito wants to thank all those who came to say goodbye to her and for the beautiful flowers and cards they sent, Austin F. Knowles Funeral Home for the special attention they paid to their family’s needs and feelings and Pat Conran from St. Peter’s Church for organizing such a beautiful funeral mass.
