Angelina Jennie Vaccaro

On December 30, 2016 Angelina Jennie Vaccaro, 95, passed away peacefully at Heritage Hall in Nassawadox. Lena or Mama Mia, as she was affectionately known to her friends, was born and raised in NY in a close knit family of 10. Her early years were spent helping her father in and around the apartment building they owned and this is most likely where she learned her "nobody's fool" people skills. Lena was usually quiet until you crossed what she thought was a social boundary of her good graces and then she would let you know that silence wasn't necessarily timidity. It was also during this time that she developed her legendary cooking skills and made such Italian delicacies as broccoli rabe, eggplant parmesan, brown butter gnocchi, pasta fagioli, spaghetti allo for her family's stadium sized gatherings called lunch and dinner.

While she never married, she took care of her countless nieces and nephews and later on their children who absolutely adored their Aunt Lena. She had a special fondness for animals especially dogs and the dogs that usually found their way into her residence found a home for life. Above all she was a believer in God and the church and was an active member of the Holy Rosary Society in NY. This is an organization that honors the Blessed Virgin Mary through prayer and service to the less fortunate. Lena had a heart that was the size of North America for her family, friends and animals - her kindness will never be forgotten.

Her family members have already been told that Mama Mia's singing, feisty spirit and her late night walks along the halls at Heritage will be sorely missed. A special thanks to all the staff at Heritage Hall for their care for Mama Mia over the years. Rest in Peace Angelina; you will never be forgotten.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.doughtyfuneralhome.com

Arrangements were made by Doughty Funeral Home in Exmore, Virginia.