Obituary of Anna Ravella

After a short period of declining health, Anna (Adrianna Van Prooien) Ravella, 104, of Oakland, NJ died peacefully in her home on Wednesday, August 21, 2024.

Anna was born on January 12, 1920, the daughter of John and Jennie (Van Eck) Van Prooien, in Paterson, NJ, attending Paterson area schools until leaving to care for her siblings. She married Enzo Ravella on October 12, 1940, and they moved to Oakland, NJ in 1952.

She was employed by numerous manufacturing establishments in northern New Jersey, starting with the fabric mills in Paterson, and including Westinghouse, Ramsey Controls, and Datascope. She retired at the age of 87, and volunteered reading for the blind.

She is survived by her son, Ronald (Linda) Ravella of Franklin, Massachusetts, her grandchildren, Richard (Beth Sargent) Eichhorn of Hopkinton, NH, Ronald Eichhorn of Oakland, NJ, Dawn Eichhorn and her partner Gary Vagnozzi of Pennington, NJ, Brian (Jennifer) Ravella of Medway, MA, Michael (Julie) Ravella of Draper,UT, and Craig Ravella of Florida, and great- grandchildren Andrei Eichhorn, Andrew Ravella, Hailey Ravella, Joseph Ravella and Leah Ravella. She is predeceased by her husband Enzo, and her daughter Georgette Ravella Molloy.

Anna was a force of non-stop energy, setting her alarm at 6am daily well into her 90s, greeting each day with a purpose not to be wasted. She was selfless, gracious, thoughtful and giving. She loved animals, and she and Enzo had a succession of regally named dogs they rescued from the shelter, that she took for long walks through the Oakland hills. When she felt she could no longer properly care for a dog, she adapted by adopting a series of pampered cats. She taught all of her grandchildren to fish, she made sure everyone who came through her door was well-fed, and she loved a visit to Atlantic City and a well made Manhattan. Known to everyone who met her as Grandma, she was truly a grandmother to all, and her home was a sanctuary not just to her family, but to all who came there.

Her family would like to express their deepest gratitude to the caregivers who made it possible for Anna to spend the last years of her life in the home she loved, especially Patience , who provided loving comfort, companionship and humor for her for the last 3 years.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge in Oakland, NJ