Anita T. Shortell

Anita Theresa Scanzillo Shortell passed away on Saturday, December 31, 2022, at Evergreen Healthcare Nursing Facility in Stafford Springs, CT. Anita was born into controversy as the name on her birth certificate, Antoinette, had a slash through it and the name "Anita" was hand-written in its place. Her father, Dominic, wanted to name her after his own mother, but his wife, Hilda Agriesto, was not having it. So, Anita, the only child, entered this world on July 29, 1932, at Bridgeport Hospital. From then on, she was known as "Babe." She spent her early years growing up among her relatives, as so many ethnic groups did during the Great Depression. She was one of the older cousins since Hilda was the eldest of her siblings. In the ensuing years, many cousins arrived and with Babe, they formed a tight group. She spent many afternoons with her cousin Arlene, daughter of Hilda's sister, Lucy, known as Nena, and Uncle Nick Musto. She even took singing lessons and would serenade her grandparents after dinner. Hilda's father is said to have originally bestowed the nickname, Babe, upon her. She was extremely proud of her Italian heritage. In her adult years, she visited Italy several times and these trips were highlights of her life. Her young life started just over the Bridgeport border in the Tunxis Hill section of Fairfield. Later, most of the family moved to a row of three-family houses on King's Highway, a short distance from Mountain Grove Cemetery where Dominic, Hilda and several other family members are now interred. She used to ride her bicycle down the street and cruise among the gravestones in the peacefulness of the cemetery. Babe was an excellent student, receiving mostly A grades in all of her classes. She kept many of her papers in a box for years. She had several jobs throughout her teens, working in shops sewing, as many girls did to help out during World War II. She was adept at shorthand and often practiced into her adult life. Eventually, she was performing administrative duties as what was once called a secretary. She had a tremendous work ethic. She had the determination to keep herself busy and contribute wherever she could. She would work as a bookkeeper for a time and as an administrative assistant for MCI in New York, commuting five days a week until her retirement. In the early 1950's her life would change significantly when she met a fair-skinned, hazel-eyed Irishman with a smile as quick as his wit, so in July of 1955, Babe married Robert W. Shortell from Ansonia. They lived for a short time with the Italian clan on King's Highway, then in 1956, Babe gave birth to Sheryl Ann, and three years later, Robert Jr. In 1960, the new family moved to a house on Wooster St. in Seymour. Babe was a city girl at heart and loved the busy action of downtown Bridgeport, but she soon settled into the suburban life on a quiet street in the countryside. In 1965, Babe gave birth to Alison Louise, completing the family unit. Bob and Babe raised their family in Seymour until, as families do, the children moved onto separate lives; Sherri in Virginia, Bobby in Boston and Alison in North Carolina. Bob and Babe travelled as often as possible. They shared a love and curiosity for visiting places they hadn't yet seen. They went to England and Italy several times. Often, they would simply climb into the car and take a drive to visit relatives, New York City or just to keep moving, feeding their wanderlust. Babe especially enjoyed museums, historic sites, gardens and works of art. She loved surrounding herself with trinkets and souvenirs from her travels. She also liked to stay physically active and loved dancing. If she wasn't born into the hard-working, blue-collar generation caught up in the Great Depression and World War II, she very well could have gone onto stellar academic or professional careers. You could imagine her never settling down so she could explore the world because she was, above all, an independent soul who was not afraid to venture out on her own. But as a daughter of immigrants, she was expected to get a job after high school, get married and raise a family as a wife, so, respecting her parents' wishes, that's exactly what she did. Babe read the New York Times, Bridgeport Post and New Haven Register, for which Bob was a reporter, every day. On Sundays she spent hours pouring over the Arts and Travel sections of the Times, often calling friends or relatives to tell them of her ideas for a trip somewhere new. In 2011, Bob passed after a long, debilitating illness leaving Babe alone in the house on Wooster St. Loneliness and silence take their toll and in time, reading and taking drives by yourself, can degrade even the sharpest mind. Eventually, Babe started to lose her sharp edge and defiant independence. Her mind drifted back to what she referred to as home. But home was not Seymour, home was Tunxis Hill and King's Highway. She spoke of her parents and grandparents as if they would walk in the door at any moment. From Seymour, she was moved to assisted living and ultimately, a nursing home. During family visits, she would ask about the well-being of relatives long passed. She missed them and she would often say she wanted to go home. She longed for the embrace of family, parents, aunts, uncles and cousins. In her mind, she could probably still see them and sense the kitchen fragrances of her youth, tomato sauce, fried steak, olives, homemade wine and chewy pasta. Soon Babe will be home. She will be interred with her parents, placed in the earth next to them; into the same ground she once coasted over on her bicycle, young Anita wondering what the future will bring and wishing for a kind and fruitful life, full of family and travel and a loving home to welcome her return. Services and Interment will be held privately at the convenience of the family. Memorial donations may be made in Anita's memory to the Alzheimer's Association, through the funeral home. Cemetery Details Interment will be private and at the convenience of the family.