Anne R. (Howley) Rotondi

Anne was born in 1934 and started her life in a little town called Contoocook, NH with her mother Audrey Bergstrom, father Jim Howley and her brother James. It was set in an ideal spot right on the Contoocook River overlooking the dam.

Long before i-pads and cell phones, Anne at a young age took up playing the piano as a way to entertain everyone for school and family events. She really enjoyed music and compiled an extensive record collection and could amazingly recall a huge amount of popular songs even at age 91. Anne as a young girl, put on numerous plays and shows for her high school in Hopkinton, NH. Her mother Audrey frequently joined her on stage to perform. Both were great singers with warm hearts. Her musical talents and singing would provide joy to many friends and family over the years, especially around the holidays. Anne also joined and sang in a barber shop quartet. She was the star of the show even showing off her musical talents at her community residence in Woburn for the last couple of years.

Anne fell in love with skiing when she was in high school and she took many trips to Cannon Mountain in her 56 Chevy Bell Air. Her adventurous spirt took her on a ski trip to Europe by herself and she shared many memories of skiing the Swiss Alps and seeing Zermatt. She had caught the travel bug. After high school graduation, she studied to be an x-ray technician, and she ultimately became the chief x-ray tech at Lynn Hospital. She met many life-long friends while studying and working at the hospital, and she kept those friendships throughout her life.

On a fateful night out on the town, she met Charles S. Rotondi. They fell in love and were married on February 9, 1965. They were lucky enough to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary together in 2025. I am not sure she completely knew what she was getting into by joining the Rotondi family, but she brought her warm disposition to her new extensive family. Everyone celebrated Anne’s great cooking and musical talent during many wonderful family parties with Anne on the piano. Her great grandmother’s foot pump organ and Anne’s stand-up piano are still with me today in the house Charlie and Anne built together. Family was always close, with Charlie’s sister Dolly Marks and family right next door and across the street was Charlie’s mother Isabella Rotondi. The house on Franklin Place was a great place to raise a family with many traditions and holiday parties with all the cousins.

Soon after moving into their newly built home, they welcomed Charles J. Rotondi in May 1968, followed by Michael Rotondi in March 1970. Being a mom was one of Anne’s great joys in life and she applied her talents for arts, crafts and music to the next generation. She had my brother and I practice and sing a duet at (Nana) Izzy’s birthday party. She became a Stoneham Cub Scout leader and many of my friends from childhood even today still remember the great scouting actives and meetings we had at the house.

In addition to the local Rotondi crew, we had a second family in Contoocook NH. We spent many weekends with Jim and Audrey, going to the farm, fishing in the river, attending the Hopkinton Fair and of course skiing. My mom had us on skis when we were quite young and she really enjoyed my brother and me becoming independent skiers and, yes, she got Charlie on skis as well. Inevitably Anne got most of the family going on the slopes and helped pass that joy onto several generations. One time, while skiing with high school friends, my friend said, “this trip would only be better if Mrs. Rotondi were here!” Anne was a great mom who always was there for us, supporting many school activities over the years, doing lots of driving and doing anything she could to help us during the stages of life as we grew though grade school, high school and into college.

As many know, my mother was a planner and a traveler. She helped organize many family trips over the years including several going to FL. One trip in FL that really stands out in my memory was when Charlie’s mom Izzy in her late 70’s was going down Space Mountain in the dark. Last time at Disney, I shared that memory with both Lukas and Katie while we were on that very same ride.

Anne also managed a trip to Ireland with both her mom and dad and a river boat cruise down the Mississippi with her mom after her dad passed.

My mother’s family dedication became refocused after her father and brother passed. She took on the challenge of taking care of her mother Audrey. Unfortunately, Alzheimer’s slowly overcame Audrey and Anne moved back to her childhood home for several years in NH to take heroic care of her mom. After Audrey’s passing in 1999, Anne was on a mission to travel and set off all winter from October through May with Charlie as “snow birds” where they traveled to FL and many different places around the US including a trip to Italy and a variety of other countries. They always came home in the summer to the NH cottage, but off they went every fall to travel. They welcomed many friends and family on their retirement adventures and managed to do this for over 15 years.

After many years of having “Grand dogs” as Anne use to call them, she finally got what she always wanted, Grandchildren. Lukas, a grandson, came along on her birthday August 11. I was blessed to give her the best birthday present ever, after many years of not being around for her summer birthday; I finally made up for it. Then two years later beautiful Katie joined us. Now Anne was able to combine two great things she loved travel and grandkids. We spent several weeks every March, when the kids were young, going to FL, spending time with Grammie and Grampy at the beach. Very few times did Grammie and Grampy come home for the holidays, only warm weather and travel for them.

This retirement tour turned out to be a great decision, since in 2016 Anne became suddenly afflicted by a condition that limited the use of her legs. What a bummer, Anne “on the go” was now stopped and facing a new challenge with a walker and wheelchair. Unbelievably, while she faced this life altering condition, she always maintained a happy and upbeat attitude and did amazing activities with the grand kids. This was a feat of courage and emotional strength that few people could pull off. I don’t know if I could have handled it as well as she did. If not for her handicap, I am sure Charlie and Anne would have traveled for another seven plus years.

Because Anne’s physical limitations kept her local, she was able to see family, friends and especially Lukas and Katie, while both at assisted living and for several years at Charlie’s family home on Franklin Street. After Charlie’s health became more fragile they both moved to assisted living where she took full advantage of participating in all the music and social activities. Anne immediately became the social butterfly at the facility, and she frequently wore butterfly pins and pendants. Her courage was tested once again when Charlie fell ill with pneumonia. She actively participated in Charlie’s care and helped make some tough decisions in 2025. Charlie passed on March 7, 2025 and with Anne’s help I made it through.

Anne spent many good days last summer and fall sunning herself out in front of her facility with the “beach crew” where many times the happy-hour drinks came out to them, in the sun. She had a great holiday season this year and a fun Christmas with friends and family.

She was recently challenged over the last few months with hospital and rehab stays where she continued to make new friends. Once back at the facility she got back to her routines and being the “life of the party”. Recently, there were a couple of warms days where she got out in the sun and I was able to have Jameson on the rocks with her over pizza, our favorite Wednesday night treat.

In the end, God, her mom, dad, brother and Charlie called her home. She can now travel, ski, sing, dance and play music whenever she wants. We all love you and Anne will be deeply missed. Anne, you truly were the “life of the party” and you are everything to everyone - daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother and best friend. You will always be here with us in our hearts. Mom, keep on traveling.

Your eternally grateful and loving son

Michael J Rotondi

Anne is the beloved wife of the late Charles Samuel Rotondi. She is the devoted father of Charles J. Rotondi and Michael J. Rotondi. The cherished grandmother of Lukas C. Rotondi and Kathryn A. Rotondi, Anne is the dear sister of the late James Howley Jr.

Funeral from the Barile Family Funeral Home, 482 Main Street (RT 28) STONEHAM on Tuesday, April 7th, 2026 at 9am followed by a Funeral Mass Celebrating Anne’s Eternal Life in Saint Patrick Church, 71 Central Street Stoneham at 10am.

Family and friends are cordially invited to gather and share memories with Anne’s Family on Monday, April 6th from 4-7pm in the Funeral Home. Parking attendants and elevator are available.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making donations in Anne’s memory to the Alzheimer’s Association by referring to the link below.

For more information, www.facebook.com/BarileFamilyFuneralHome