CURRENT CELEBRATIONS

Anna Marie Melchiorre

Anna Marie Melchiorre (nee DiSalvio)
September 3, 1949 – October 1, 2026
Anna Marie passed away peacefully on October 1st, with her husband and daughters by her side. She was born and raised in Philadelphia’s Germantown section. She met the love of her life, Don, in 1967. They knew of each other growing up, but it wasn’t until Anna Marie suddenly needed a date for her senior prom that their story truly began. Anna Marie’s original date broke his leg, and her dad asked Don’s dad if Don could step in. That one date led to 54 wonderful years of marriage. Together, they raised their two daughters and eventually took part in multiple aspects of their grandchildren’s lives. As a mom, Anna Marie was very loving. She was a family woman who always did the most for her daughters and grandchildren.
She worked at Washington Twp School District so she could have summers off, and she used that time to take her girls to Avalon as much as possible. She also worked part-time at Lake Kandle in the snack bar in the summers, so the girls could swim when they weren’t down the shore. Her last job before retirement was at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, where she was a campus event coordinator. One benefit of working at USP was that Heather was also attending the university at the same time. They often had lunch together, and both Heather and Kristen worked with her in the summers, assisting in the Admission Office. Anna Marie started working there in 1995 and stayed there until her retirement in 2014.
Anna Marie was a joiner, always looking for clubs and committees to get involved. Once involved, she often signed up to become a board member, either as secretary, vice-president, or even president of the groups she joined. One of her favorite things was being band booster president of the Washington Twp Marching Band. Many of her friends at that time were in the Marching Band, which coincided with when the girls were in the band. It was always her dream to graduate from college, and in her fifties, she decided to pursue an associate’s degree. She was excited to have graduated from Gloucester County College at the same time as her daughter, Kristen, and her son-in-law, Mike.
Anna Marie’s greatest calling came later in life, when she became a Mom Mom. Her grandchildren quickly became the center of her world, and she loved them more than anything. She joined her grandkids on each of their first trips to Walt Disney World and countless vacations throughout their lives. She attended their sporting events, school functions, and performances whenever she could. If her grandchildren were involved, Anna Marie was there. She was everyone’s emergency contact, someone they could always count on, and a constant presence in their lives. Don and Anna Marie lived in Washington Twp for 38 years. Eventually, they moved to Woolwich in 2013 to be closer to Heather and Kristen’s families. Anna Marie used this opportunity to host holidays and Sunday dinners. She made her famous lasagna, Sunday gravy, and macaroni and cheese for the whole family to enjoy.
Over the years, Don and Anna Marie loved traveling to Cocoa Beach, Florida, where they escaped the cold as snowbirds and spent time with extended family. They also had many vacations over the years. Some favorites included trips to Italy, France, the United Kingdom, Aruba, Bermuda, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. Another of Don and Anna Marie’s best decisions was moving to a 55-and-over community in Woolwich. Anna Marie quickly filled her days with new friends and activities. She could often be found playing pinochle, mah jongg, Bunco, and poker, and she especially enjoyed spending time with her happy hour girls and her Juliet ladies. Anna Marie also enjoyed overseeing monthly Bingo in the community. Anna Marie and Don served together on the Social Committee for many years, where they planned the community’s monthly social events.
At Christmas, her home was always filled with decorations, with something festive in every corner. She loved hosting holiday parties and having a full house. When she wasn’t busy caring for her family or preparing dinner, she could often be found curled up in a corner with her Kindle, enjoying one of the 1,500 books she had read over the years.
Anna Marie was predeceased by her parents, Anthony and Anna DiSalvio, and her brothers Anthony and Vincent.
She is survived by her husband Don, her daughters Heather Scheckner (Brian) and Kristen Chando (Mike), and her grandchildren Jason, Connor, Olivia and Gavin, along with many relatives and friends.
Please join us in celebrating her 77 years of life on Wednesday, October 7th, from 6pm-8pm, and again on Thursday, October 8th, from 10am-10:45am at St. Michael’s Church (St. Clare of Assisi Parish), 313 Memorial Ave, Gibbstown. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11am. Interment will be held privately. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Anna Marie’s name to: American Diabetes Association.