Obituary of Anne-Marie C. Roland

Anne-Marie C. Roland:

Aug. 26,1947 – Dec. 11, 2021

Rare does an obituary include the word "magical" but this one must.

For Annie had a magical gift for making herself truly present in her loved ones' lives; for turning holidays and birthdays into extravaganzas; for welcoming family and friends in her exquisitely designed home and showering them with gourmet meals, affection, and above all, attention, as if each one mattered more than anyone else in the world.

Annie was born in the principality of Monaco, on the French Riviera. Sadly, her mother Josephine died at an early age, leaving Annie and her brother John motherless. Several years later, her father Jean, a World War Two veteran, remarried an Italian lady named Alessandra (Sandy) and the family immigrated to Astoria, Queens. Breaking in this new mother was no easy task for Annie, who asserted her rightful place in charge. But a truce was called at the discovery that another sibling was on the way. When Trish was born she gained two mothers, for Annie fell in love with this little girl and never stopping loving and nurturing her. With both parents working in a restaurant, Annie was mother hen to John and Trish on the home front after school, with Trish delighting in this arrangement. Wherever Annie went, so did her little sister.

And then came the drummer. A cocky Queens fella named Al took one look at teenage Annie with her European flair, put-together look, and ability to speak three languages, and fell in love. Al invited her to watch him play a Beatles tribute gig and from then on the drummer played to the beat of Annie. They married in 1967 and fused a beautiful life together that took them from Queens to the Capital Region.

Annie mothered countless children, from her siblings to her nieces and nephews and later grandnieces and grandnephews. They tell stories of Halloween tombstone brownies; a Thanksgiving turkey dressed in a puff pastry tuxedo; gingerbread houses at Christmas, which one nephew took his sweet time building while the other gobbled up the candy decorations quickly, all to Aunt Annie's delight. They speak of gifts she gave that wowed them, exactly what they wanted, always creatively packaged with her eye for design. Every niece, nephew, grandniece and grandnephew got their own special time — unique time, during which Aunt Annie spoiled them.

When Trish and family moved into the house behind Annie and Al's house in Niskayuna, the Rolands became aunt and uncle to the neighborhood kids. Aunt Annie invited them to parties with Waldorf Astoria class but Dolly Parton warmth, celebrated their birthdays with cards and gifts, and gave them special treats on Halloween (BIG candy bars, word was never skip that house). Guests who entered her home were in awe. A white couch! White carpeting! And still every child and adult relaxed, laughed and ate well. If there were spills, no worries, she'd say.

Despite living with chronic pain and multiple ailments, Annie spent decades bringing her magic to one generation of children and the next. She showed up for their big and small moments, and she accompanied Al on road trips to see them as they grew, navigating stairs and terrain with bad knees. She never missed her nephews' or nieces' ball games. She always had a good word at the end, no matter the score.

For some, a life's story comes down to a resume of worldly accomplishments. Annie's loved ones believe her greatest legacy was how she shined a spotlight on them, always making them feel special when she herself was so very special. Her family will honor her memory by treating their loved ones this way and ask that each reader honor Annie by doing the same with their loved ones.

COVID took Annie's life, but it never stole her magic. It lives on in her family: siblings John Dagliolo and Patricia Pollock; nieces Teasha, Michelle, and Alicia, and their children Angelo, Daniella, Jackson, Carlie and Cole; nephews Justin, Brandon (Erika), Joe (Viviana), Brian (EJ) and Tony (Nicole) and their children Julia, Emma, Adriel, and Aiden. Annie is preceded in death by her parents Jean, Josephine and Sandy (Nona) Dagliolo and her daughter Brigitte Jeanne (stillborn, always in Annie's heart.)

Annie's family would like to thank the staff of Saratoga Hospital for their compassion and dedication with a special acknowledgment to Dr. Jogani and the other nurses and doctors in the ICU unit.

Interment will be at Saratoga National Cemetery, date TBD.

In honor of Annie's love for children, donations may be made to The Ronald McDonald House of the Capital Region: 139 S. Lake Ave., Albany, NY 12208 or at https://rmhcofalbany.org/.