Obituary of Antonette J. Barni

Antonette J. (Toni) Barni, a Mahopac, NY resident since 1965, passed away on January 22, 2017 at the age of 73 after a six-year battle with breast cancer. Through it all she sustained her vibrant spirit, sense of humor, courage, and readiness to show love to her family and friends right to the end. She was a passionate and compassionate person, strong and caring, determined to understand the world as deeply as she could and to make it a better place for all those who came within her orbit, and loved and admired by her family, friends, colleagues, students and neighbors. For all those who were close to her, it will be hard to imagine the world without her. Toni was born in Pittsburgh, PA on July 31, 1943, the daughter of Nillie and Elizabeth Petrini DeAngellis. Proud to be the first person in her family to attend college, she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology while raising her two boys. She continued her studies, earning a Master’s Degree in Special Education en route to a challenging and fulfilling 23-year career as a special education teacher at Carmel High School. Not only was Toni a strong advocate for teacher’s rights, she was deeply involved in the community, serving on the Putnam County Board of Mental Health, the Putnam County ARC, the Putnam Hospital Foundation, the statewide Special Education Committee, the Business Development Board of the Mahopac National Bank and as a member of the Lake Mahopac Rotary Club. On August 11, 1962 she married Joseph Barni in Pittsburgh. She is survived by her son Neil and his wife Meghan of Chapel Hill, NC, her brother Joseph DeAngellis of Harrison City, PA, her sisters Angela DeAngellis and Charlotte DeSalvo, both of Mahopac, and Betty DeAngellis of Greensburg, PA, as well as granddaughters Olivia, Tessa, and Abigail, many nieces and nephews and countless devoted friends. She was predeceased by her beloved husband Joseph in 1994, her son Dino in 1985 and her beloved brother, Charles “Chuck” DeAngellis in 2013. The family will receive friends on Thursday, January 26, from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Joseph J. Smith Funeral Home in Mahopac and again on Saturday, January 28 from 1:00 PM to 6:00PM at the McCabe Bros. Funeral Home in Shadyside, PA. A memorial celebration will take place at the Pittsburgh University Club on Sunday, January 29 at 11:00AM. A private burial will take place at the Monongahela Cemetery in Pittsburgh at a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.