Anita passed away peacefully on May 11th  surrounded by her children.  She was born Anita Maria Barbieri on December 13, 1929 in Brooklyn NY where she lived until she was married.  Anita attended Washington Erving High School in Manhattan where she studied pattern making.  Upon graduation Anita was employed as a costume maker with the Ice Capades and was a personal seamstress for actress Jean Tierney while she was employed at Henri Bendel.  In 1959 Anita married Fred Needhammer also of Brooklyn NY and they bought a house in Bloomingdale NJ where they raised their four children.  Anita was predeceased by her husband Fred Needhammer, her sister Jean DiCosola, sisters-in-laws Ella Raftery and Muriel Needhammer and daughter-in-law Manuela Needhammer.  She is survived by her son Andrew of Flagstaff AZ, daughter Laura of Totowa NJ, daughter Carol and her husband James of Sparta NJ, son Tom and his wife Debby of Great Meadows NJ, and grandchildren Rebecca of Albuquerque NM, Julia of Flagstaff AZ, Lily of Philadelphia, PA, Mark of Great Meadows, NJ, Ruby and Chloe of Sparta NJ.  Anita was an avid Brooklyn Dodgers turned  Mest fan, loved to play cards and mah jongg, and cooked for anyone who was hungry.

A visitation will be held on Monday, May 15, 2023 at Cochran Funeral Home from 4:00pm -8:00pm.  The Funeral Mass will be held at 12:00 Noon on Tuesday, May 16, 2023 at Our Lady of the Mountain Roman Catholic Church, 2 East Springtown Road Long Valley NJ.  The burial will be immediately after the Mass at Pequest Union Cemetery, 30 Cemetery Road, Great Meadows NJ.

Funeral arrangement have been entrusted to Cochran Funeral Home, 905 High Street, Hackettstown, NJ 07840.  In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice, 99 Sparta Avenue, Newton NJ 07860.  Those wishing to leave an online condolence may do so at www.cochranfuneral.com