Antoinette Cantoni

Antoinette C. Cantoni, 67, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, Dec. 30, 2005, at Southeast Missouri Hospital.

She was born on June 12, 1938, in St. Louis, Mo., to Anthony and Carmellia Mercurio Bellistri. Antoinette was married to Philip T. Cantoni on April 15, 1961; he survives. Ann and Phil moved to Cape Girardeau in 1980. Ann was a loving homemaker, and enjoyed caring for others and volunteering her time, talent and devotion to serving the needy through church organizations. She worked in clerical and retail sales positions with H&R Block and The Hawthorne Group from 1983 to 1996. She was employed part time at Hobby Lobby since 1997 in the floral retail sales area.

She was a member of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Cape Girardeau and an active member of the St. Vincent Women's Council.

In addition to her husband of 44 years, survivors include two sons and daughters-in-law, Philip A. and Judy Van Gennip Cantoni of Cape Girardeau, David J. and Heather Click Cantoni of Jackson; three grandchildren, Erika (age 14) and Nicholas Cantoni (age 9) of Cape Girardeau, and Jacob Cantoni (age 4) of Jackson.

Also surviving are Ann's mother, Carmellia Mercurio Bellistri, a resident of the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau; a brother and sister-in-law, Thomas and Elaine Bellistri; and a sister, Linda Simcock, all of St. Louis; a brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Paul and Faye Jones of Effingham, Ill.; four nephews; and three nieces.

She was preceded in death by her father, Anthony Bellistri; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Joseph and Mary Cantoni; and two infant grandsons, Alex and Gabriel Cantoni.

Friends may call at Ford and Sons Funeral Home on Mount Auburn Road in Cape Girardeau from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 2, with a rosary service at 7 p.m.

Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 3, at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, with the Rev. Charles Prost officiating. Entombment will be in Memorial Park Mausoleum in Cape Girardeau.

Pallbearers are Norman Marzorati of St. Louis, Martin "Junior" Van Gennip, Gene Click, Walter Westrich, Richard L. "Butch" Eggiman and Malcolm Schack, all of Cape Girardeau, and her two grandsons, Nicholas and Jacob.

Memorial contributions may be made in her honor to the St. Vincent's Women's Council at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church.