Antoinette L. Morris, 83, of Ocean City, passed away on Tuesday, November 8, 2022 in Shore Medical Center, Somers Point, NJ.
Ann was a quintessential Ocean City local icon. She was born March 24, 1939, in Ocean City, NJ and lived there until her death. She is preceded in death by her parents, Giuseppe (Joseph) and Maria Longo, and siblings Nicholas Longo, Dominic Longo, Angela Pileggi, Mary Hartz and Victoria Coughlin. Ann is survived by her husband Bernard “Bernie”, her brother Frank Longo, three sons: Jeffrey (Anita), Timothy (Mike), Daniel (Leeanne), seven grandchildren and countless nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family and loyal friends.
Ann attended Ocean City Public High School and graduated with honors in 1957.
As a young girl Ann worked at her father’s shoe repair shop, where she learned the basics of stitch work. A gregarious and vivacious teenager, Ann worked at Shrivers Candies on the boardwalk, part-time at Ordile’s Pharmacy, and then as a waitress at Cross Town Restaurant. As an adult Ann worked seasonally for over twenty years for P.B. Weller at his various miniature golf courses along the OC Boardwalk, where she was known as “The Golf Lady”.
She was employed by the Ocean City Primary School, working first in the Cafeteria, then as a Teachers Aide and Assistant Librarian and retired after 30 years of service.
Over the years she could be seen working part-time at her brother Frank’s Shoe Clinic and also at Vaughn’s Farmers Market. For a few years Ann and her friend had a seasonal change over cleaning business.
She was a brilliant and relentless fundraiser. In the early 1980’s she helped raise over twenty-thousand dollars for the cystic fibrosis foundation. She and her husband helped perfect the fundraising flea markets held at the Music Pier both for the OC Band Boosters and the OC Lions Club.
Ann was a giver, and her generosity will never be forgotten. When she came across young students who were in need, or who could not afford eyeglasses, she would subtly get them help.
Ann enjoyed riding her bike and walking ”the boards”. She loved orange cream ice cream cones, a good boardwalk hotdog, mystery novels, crossword and word puzzles. Although she had more than one permit she never learned to drive a car. For her whole life she lived on an island but she never learned to swim. She had a lifelong ambition to travel to Hawaii but never made the journey. Ann had a good sense of humor but usually had to have the punchline explained to her. She loved going to AC and playing the penny slots. She enjoyed a good manicure.
She loved her flowers and stymied veteran rose growers by taking blue ribbons for roses she had entered at the Music Pier flower shows. She was a prolific crafter & quilter—it was not unusual for her to have multiple quilts of various themes going at the same time. The number of quilts she made and gave away are too numerous to account for. She passed on her love of quilting by teaching children in an afterschool program at the Primary School, and at St. Augustine’s as well as in her home,
Ann was a dedicated wife to husband “Bernie the Barber” for over 63 years of marriage. She was a doting mother, who went the extra mile to support her sons in their various endeavors as they grew up. She was a fun loving grandmother. Ann was also an animal lover who through the years adopted a number of lucky dogs and cats that she treated as family. She even adopted a parrot named Loretta that learned to imitate her voice and call her husband, “Bernie! BERNIE!!!”
Her funeral service and burial in Cape May County Veterans Cemetery were held last week.
Arrangements by The Godfrey Funeral Home of Ocean City, NJ. Condolences may be left for the family at www.godfreyfuneralhome.com
