Antonina (Ann) Rigante died on May 19, 2025. She was 88 years old. She was the daughter of Michael and Mary Messana. She was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters Yolanda and Marie, and by her husbands Louis Rigante of 38 years and Thomas Bevan of 8 years. She is survived by her daughters Cora Rigante and Marianne James; her grandchildren Tonianne Fultz, Natalie James, and Andrew James.

Ann attended St. John's University with a B.S. in Education, then Hofstra University with an M.S. in Special Education and a Professional Degree in Family Counseling. She taught for 38 years in New York as an elementary teacher, a Special Education teacher, and a teacher trainer. When she retired, she worked for twelve years as a Behavioral Counselor in Pennsylvania with families and schools.

Antonina will be dearly missed by all who knew her, but her memory will live on in the hearts of her family, friends, and the many lives she touched throughout her life and career.

A chapel service will be held May 23, 2025, at the Cemetery of the Holy Rood, 111 Old Country Rd, Westbury, NY 11590 at 12 PM.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Parkinson's Foundation at http://www.parkinson.org or the Michael J. Fox Foundation at https://give.michaeljfox.org .