Ann Nannini Rizzi, age 92, of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, passed away June 26, 2024. She was a woman who devoted her life to serving God, loving her family and teaching many children. Her earthly presence is mourned, but her eternal life is celebrated.
Ann was the daughter of Luigi and Carolina Nannini, Italian immigrants who owned Luigi’s Grocery Store where Ann grew up working.
Ann was the “love baby” of her parents. Luigi came to America in 1920 to start a new life. He was without his wife and three sons for 11 years. Nine months after Luigi and Carolina were reunited in America, Ann was born Nov. 2, 1931, in Red Bank.
Ann’s education was sparked while working with her father in the store and officially ended with her completion of a doctorate at age 69. Although Ann started school speaking only Italian, she managed to skip two grades during her school years. She graduated from Red Bank High School at age 16 and received a Bachelor of Science in education at age 20 from Rowan University in Glassboro.
In 1955, Ann met her husband Tony, who was from Kenilworth, in the church choir at Tachikawa Air Force Base, Japan. She had gone to teach for the United States Department of Defense while Tony was stationed there in the Air Force. It was by divine providence that the two met. Ann and Tony grew up living only 40 miles apart in New Jersey but had not met until they were overseas in Japan. They were married in 1957 in Red Bank.
The couple, much in love with God and each other, had eight children. The first seven – Anthony, Maria, Valerie, Domenic, Raymond, Cabrina and Anna Mary – were born in 4.75 years; there were two sets of twins. Four years later their eighth child, Lorenzo, was born, making a total of four girls and four boys. All of the children have earned at least one college degree and four have earned doctorates.
Ann’s teaching career lasted over 50 years. She taught all the grades from kindergarten through college. She started her career in 1952 at age 20 in Red Bank.
In 1976, while a mother to seven teenagers, Ann received a Master of Science in psychology from Webster University. In 2001, at the age of 69, she completed her Ph.D. in psychology.
Ann received many awards, including Missouri Mother of the Year and Woman of the Year in honor of her legacy. She always referred to children as the “Best People on Earth.”
Ann always felt she was blessed and never could say thank you enough through her faith. She felt loved by God and her husband Tony with all of his heart and being.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, Dr. Anthony “Tony” Rizzi. They leave behind eight children, 25 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Institute for Advanced Physics, P.O. Box 15030, Baton Rouge, LA 70895 or iapweb.org.
The article originally appeared in the July 11 – 17, 2024 print edition of The Two River Times.
