Anna M. (Scala) Cintron

Anna Maria Cintron, known as Anne, entered heaven’s gate on April 6. Incandescent, funny, kind, witty, smart as a whip, generous, strong, independent and most of all loving,  Anne devoted her life to her family. Born in Jersey City, she attended St. Aedan’s Elementary and won a scholarship to St. Dominic Academy. She opted instead to attend St. Aloysius High School with her older sister as they were inseparable. She attended Barbizon Modeling School and intended to matriculate at Jersey City State College as a pre-med major, However, she met a handsome young man who worked with her at Ohrbach’s Department Store. Manny Cintron was the love of her life. They married and he soon joined the Air Force. She made a home with him at SAC/Offutt Air Force base in Omaha. They had the opportunity after a few years to move to London, but Anne preferred to move back to Jersey City to be near her close-knit family.  Over time they had five children: Roxanne (Rev. Richard Patterson), Charlene (Victor Fekete), Pamela (Bob Orlando, Neil Potash, and Chip Michniewicz), Denise (Joseph Fedor), and Gary (Dorothy Daidone).

Anne was a wonderful homemaker known for lavish family get-togethers, gourmet meals, decorating, and gardening. With her children grown she went to work alongside her husband again, this time for The Associated Press where she soon became a supervisor. The president called her the greatest asset the company had as she knew where the far-flung journalists were at all times and she always brought lively jocularity to the fourth floor. She raised money for Unicef every Christmas at work, A devout Roman Catholic, she attended Mass daily at St. Patrick’s Cathedral across from the AP at Rockefeller Center. She went out of her way to make visitors coming for interviews welcome and met Vivien Leigh, Marlo Thomas, and George Kennedy, among others. Her sweet nature and liveliness made everyone feel comfortable. She was naturally the center of the universe to her co-workers, family, and friends and literally lit up a room with her presence.

Anne and Manny loved to travel across the United States. Together they visited Miami, St. Louis, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Chicago.  She continued traveling after retirement visiting Malibu, Long Beach, The Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Salem, Fredericksburg, Savannah (her favorite), and Key West. Almost every summer she drove with family down Route 95 sightseeing at the American Revolution and Civil War sites along the way.

She and her husband maintained homes in Jersey City, Union City, and Weehawken. After Manny died, Anne retired from the AP. She moved to Port Saint Lucie, Florida where she bought her dream house. She was very proud of her beautiful Oriental garden. Every Christmas she had the palm trees lit with lights. In 2019, she decided to move back to New Jersey closer to her daughters. She was a communicant of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish. She maintained a meticulous home in Manchester full of her joie de vivre where family gathered round enveloped in her warmth and entertained by her lively sense of humor.

Anne is survived by two daughters, her son, and their families, by her grandchildren Robert Orlando (Kim Moeltner), Adam Orlando (Lindsay Brizzi), Christopher Fekete, and Marc Anthony, Nina, and Lia Cintron. She is also survived by her great-grandchildren Shawn, Brett, Adam, Jr., Aaron, and Dylan Orlando and her siblings R. Peggy Scala, and Anthony Scala (Arlene Greco) and by her sister-in-law Alba and her husband Flavio Trujillo, and brother-in-law William Cintron.  Anne was predeceased by her beloved husband Manuel Cintron, Jr. and her daughters Pamela and Denise, her parents Rosina Ricciardi and Eduardo Scala. Sr., and her siblings Lucy Scala, Yolanda DiGiorgio, Sabbio Scala, Edward Scala, Jr., and A. Eleanor Fitzgerald and her husband Jack Fitzgerald who both died a week before her. Cause of death for all was Covid-19.

The arrangements are under the direction of the Timothy E. Ryan Home for Funerals 145 St. Catherine Blvd, Toms River, NJ. A graveside ceremony is tentatively set for April 22 at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Toms River at 11:30 AM.  A celebration of Anne’s beautiful life will take place in June.  In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to St. Jude Hospital in Anne’s name. Condolences may be sent by visiting www.ryanfuneralhome.com.

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