HOBOKEN — After a long, brave battle with brain cancer, Anna Maria Roberts (nee LaMastra) — wife of former Mayor David Roberts — died on Thursday, surrounded by her family. Anna Roberts was 49 and is survived by David and their three children: David, Amanda, and Christopher. Anna and David, who raised their family in their Hudson Street home, would have celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary in April.
Anna has served on the Hoboken Library Board of Trustees and as a member of the Mantoloking Yacht Club. She was also an active member of Sts. Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church.
Anna supported her husband for the many years of his career in Hoboken politics, including when he served as mayor from 2001 to 2009 and was a councilman for many years before that. In recent years, he has been relatively quiet in Hoboken politics, preferring to focus on personal matters.
One year ago, during Hurricane Sandy, the couple saw their beach home in Mantoloking swallowed by Barnegat Bay. The home, appearing to be adrift at sea, was featured in photographs in various media as an icon of the storm’s wrath.
“Through all of that she was strong,” said Hoboken City Clerk Jimmy Farina, a long time friend of the family, on Friday morning, “even though she was going through what she went through.”
Anna was an active member of Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church in Hoboken.
“We were blessed to have Anna for last 49 years,” Farina said. “She was a wonderful woman, very supportive of her children and husband, and a tremendous asset in terms of her community service. She fought to the end. I saw her a month ago and she always had a smile on her face. I didn’t think it was that bad because she was always smiling. She fought ’til the end and that’s going to make her family stronger. There wasn’t a minute of her illness that she didn’t care for her children and her family. No matter what her troubles were, every time you saw her, she asked, ‘How are you doing?’ I still can’t believe it. Dave and her family did everything possible to get her into remission. Sometimes you get a miracle. This was one of those times that they didn’t. It’s a terrible tragedy.”
Anna is also survived by her parents, Domenico and Antonetta LaMastra, and mother-in-law Ann Roberts. She is the sister of Carmela and husband Sam Mezzina, as well as Damiano LaMastra and his wife Dina, Giuseppe LaMastra and wife Nadia, and Margherita LaMastra. She is also survived by her brother-in-law, retired Hoboken Fire Capt. Charles Roberts, and her aunt, uncle, several nieces and nephews, and cousins.
Visitation will be Monday, Nov. 4, 2013 from 3 to 8 p.m. at Sts. Peter & Paul R.C. Church, 400 Hudson St. A Mass of the Christian Burial will be held at Sts. Peter & Paul R.C. Church on Tuesday, Nov. 5 at 10 a.m.
Donations can be made in Anna’s honor to the American Cancer Society.
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