Obituary of Aurelia Poli

Aurelia Ballardini Poli was a kind, gentle, faithful, patriotic woman who passed on to Our Lord on November 17, 2020. She was born in Montagne, Trentino, Italy and emigrated with her parents, Teodosio Attilio Ballardini and Paolina Apolloni Ballardini to the United States when she was one year old.    Her family settled in Greenwich Village and then moved to the country, The Bronx, at that time.  She worked as a secretary in Manhattan and once won second place in the New York City speed typing competition of which she was very proud. Aurelia enjoyed sharing her memories of growing up in the city that she loved, especially with her best friend of almost eighty years, Licia Mincin Radovic, who survives her.

When she married, she and her husband, Giulio, started their family in Fairview, then Fort Lee, New Jersey.  In 1964 they purchased hunting property in Monticello that came with a bungalow colony.  After that most weekends and all summers were spent in Monticello.  G. Poli Bungalow Colony became the only Northern Italian, specifically Trentino, colony in Sullivan County complete with a bocce court.  Many great memories were made with all the families who originated from the South Tyrol and came to Monticello every summer.  Aurelia and Giulio retired there in 1980.

Aurelia deeply loved all her children.  She leaves Dr. Robert Poli and his wife Jan, Dr. Paul Poli and Irina Tolstikova, Julia Poli and Eric Warner, Anthony Poli and his wife Susan, and Aurelia Zembower and her husband Jason.  She was blessed with ten grandchildren and leaves Mark Poli, John Pavese Jr., Dr. Christina Montellaro and her husband Marc, Dr. Elizabeth Pavese-Kaplan, Anthony Poli Jr. and his wife Mary, Catherine Ketcham and her husband Tyler, Maria Smart and her husband Dustin, Vanessa Poli, Paulina Pavese and her fiancé Thomas Lamendola and Christiana Poli.  Aurelia became a great-grandmother to Gaige Amara Poli two weeks before her passing.  She also leaves the children of her brother, nieces Laura Minnema, Catherine Lynskey, Patricia Struz and nephew Louis Ballardini and many cousins and Aunt Amalia in Italy.

Aurelia was pre-deceased by her husband, Giulio, who passed two years ago in Italy and is resting with his parents; her beloved brother and sister-in-law, Louis and Margaret Ballardini; and grandson Matthew John Pavese.

Her funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday, November 23 at St. Peter’s Church, Broadway and Liberty Street in Monticello at 10:00am.  She will rest with her parents in St. Raymond’s Cemetery in The Bronx.

Arrangements are under the direction of the VanInwegen-Kenny, Inc. Funeral Home of Monticello NY; for additional information or to send an online condolence, please visit www.kennyfuneralhome.com