Toni Ann

Nebbia

Toni Ann Padovan-Nebbia, 47, died October 27, 2012 at home in Haworth NJ. Toni and I met in September of 1983 at Montclair State College. It was the very first class on the first day of our college careers. We didn't connect at that point because I dropped the class after two weeks, but I was lucky enough to meet Toni again a few months later when I took a job bagging groceries at Fairway Market in Fort Lee where she happen to work. We immediately recognized each other from the class, and it gave us something to talk about. Toni and I began hanging around on campus and quickly became friends. We commuted to school together, took classes together, and became very close friends. In fact, best friends. Three and a half years later we graduated from MSC and entered the workforce as young accountants. Toni began working for a private company and I went into public accounting. We still classified our relationship as "friends" even though it had become more. After being "friends" for a couple more years, Toni informed me that I should "get off the pot". Best advice of my life. We were married on August 25, 1990, and began renting an apartment in Cliffside Park. A year later we bought our first home. It was right across the street from our apartment and made for an easy move. After a few years of being an accountant, Toni had enough of the excitement and decided to become a teacher. She attended Fairleigh Dickinson University to earn a Masters degree in Education. She then became a teacher in Cliffside Park which worked out well for us because it enabled her to have the summers off so she could be with our two beautiful daughters; Gianna who was born in 1993 and Danielle in 1995. Oh my God she loves them so much and is so proud of them. I had been an accountant with small CPA firms for a few years. It was a good job but it was difficult to bring in clients without my name on the letterhead. Toni talked me into quitting my job so that I could open up my own tax practice. Initially I was making about $300 per week, but Toni's teaching job and benefits gave me the opportunity to grow my practice. I could not have done it without her. Fast forward to 2011. At this point we had been living in northern Bergen County for about nine years and our lives are picture perfect. Toni left teaching to become the Business Administrator of Cliffside Park Schools. My business is doing great, Gianna is set to attend Northeastern University, and Danielle is a sophomore at Northern Valley Demarest High School. On Saturday March 5, 2011 we were set to take the girls to an afternoon Islander hockey game. Toni woke up that morning and she knew she would not be able to make the game. She had significant pain in both her sides. We went to the emergency room where they did a scan. The ER doctor informed us that it appeared to be cancer. Our perfect world changed forever right at that moment. Toni was diagnosed with cancer of the appendix that had spread to her abdominal cavity. Toni was very knowledgeable when it came to health matters and she knew immediately that this could be life altering. With endless help from her parents, John and Brenda Padovan, Toni was able to give the best fight possible for more than 18 months. That fight ended this week at home where she was surrounded by her family. We will dearly miss you Toni. You were the most amazing person and anyone who met you realized this immediately. Toni is survived by her husband, Vincent Nebbia; daughters Gianna and Danielle, her parents; John and Brenda Padovan, her siblings Frank Padovan, Karen Burry and Gina D'Amore and their spouses Francine Padovan, Trevor Burry and Marc D'Amore; and seven nieces and nephews. Funeral from the A.K. Macagna Funeral Home 495 Anderson Ave., Cliffside Park, NJ on Friday November 2, 2012 at 9:15 am thence to Our Lady of Grace RC Church, Fairview, NJ, where a Funeral Mass will be offered at 10:00am. Entombment to follow at Garden of Memories Mausoleum, Washington Twp., NJ. Visiting hours Thursday 2-4 and 7-9pm.