Ann Marie (Canestraro) Leone

Ann Marie (Canestraro) Leone, 102, of Syracuse, passed away peacefully on Saturday, November 1, 2025, at the Francis House surrounded by her loving family. She was born in 1923 to the late John and Angeline Canestraro, Italian immigrants from Ferrazzano, Italy. She was the second of five sisters, all of whom grew up on the city's North Side. Her life was well-lived and complete; it was defined until the very end by laughter, love, sacrifice, and above all, family. Ann met and married her husband, Manny Leone, in 1948. Their shared, strong values of hard work and unconditional love enabled their union to endure until Manny's passing in 2016. Together, their devotion to family was unique and their bond would eventually bear the fruit of three sons, seven grandchildren, and eighteen great-grandchildren. As her own family grew, the stories of her modest beginnings always fascinated, at least in part because they were shared with an unassuming delivery and timing, and with the same love and appreciation for life that was always her way. Hers was a quiet strength, and her lessons were delivered not from a classroom pulpit or some deep and formal education, but rather from a profound perspective of over a century of living humbly and purposefully. She not only valued but deeply appreciated those many blessings of friends and family. It was a curious and humorous irony, then, that she would be dubbed "Princess Dark Cloud" by her sons. One can only speculate why. Perhaps it was the impact of her modest early beginnings that may have tempered any lofty expectations, or maybe it provided a shield from future disappointments - real or imagined. Regardless and in any event, "Princess Dark Cloud" became an affectionate moniker and she wore it as a badge of honor. The "Dark Cloud" persona became great fodder for so many of the lovable and hilarious stories we all shared together. She touched and impacted so positively all she came to know and who came to know her. She looked for nothing but the good in others and her remarkable journey has left a lasting legacy and an enduring model for her growing family to remember and live by. In addition to her parents, Ann is predeceased by her husband, Manny and her eldest son, Joe, as well as her sisters, Faye (Pitonzo) and Yolanda (Canestraro) Halpin. She is survived by her two sons, Ed and John (Julia) Leone; her daughter-in-law, Laurel; 7 grandchildren, Jason (Amber), Lindsay Corbett (Dan), Joe (Sarah), Greg (Tricia), John Manuel (Jenna), Amanda, and Anna; along with 18 great-grandchildren; 2 sisters, Josephine Polito, and Annete Tesoriero; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. A funeral Mass in celebration of Ann’s life will be held on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, at 10:00 A.M. in Most Holy Rosary Church, 111 Roberts Ave., Syracuse. She will be laid to rest beside her husband in Assumption Cemetery. Visitation will take place on Monday, November 10, 2025, from 3:00 – 6:00 P.M. at the THOMAS J. PIRRO JR. FUNERAL HOME 3401 Vickery Rd. (Corner of Buckley Rd.) Syracuse, NY 13212. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Ann’s name may be made to the Francis House 108 Michaels Ave. Syracuse, NY 13208 or Christian Brothers Academy 6245 Randall Rd. Syracuse, NY 13214.

Ann Marie (Canestraro) Leone

August 2, 1923 - November 1, 2025