Estelle (Penny) Phyllis Gilligan

November 14, 1942 - May 24, 2022

Obituary for Estelle Phyllis Gilligan (nee Pagnozzi) November 14, 1942 – May 24, 2022 Estelle Phyllis ( Penny) Gilligan passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, surrounded by beloved family and friends, after a long battle with renal and congestive heart failures. She was 6 months shy of her 80th birthday and 3 months shy of her 55th wedding anniversary. Estelle was the eldest of 7 children of the late Ernest and Esta Pagnozzi. Born in the Bronx, NY an exact week before her husband (she never let him forget she was younger) she grew up in Floral Park, Queens, married her husband, Jim, and they raised their 2 children in Franklin Square, NY. Estelle was the perfect wife and mother to budget well and in the early years to live off the tight teacher’s salary of her husband and they both sacrificed and went without for their children to be brought up in the catholic faith and to attend parochial schools K-12. After retiring as a Coronary Care Registered Nurse and a dedicated school nurse at St. Boniface Elementary School in Elmont, NY, Estelle and her husband finally moved and settled down here in Beacon Woods, Florida in 2007. Estelle lived life to the fullest. Not many know she was an avid water skier as a young woman and often stopped traffic along the Cross Island Parkway with her slalom tricks in the bay. She adored entertaining family and friends at home and insisted on going all out to give people the royal treatment as a hostess. Her mantra was, “I hope there is enough!” There always was, and more. She was a great cook, baker and crafter and loved teaching children how to make everything. In fact, she was a great 1st teacher of her children, instilling in them a love of nature, reading, education, music, the arts and medicine. It is true, Estelle loved a good bargain and was happy going to garage sales, bazaars, fairs and shops with her sister, daughter and brother. Estelle truly had a magic green thumb and her gardens abounded with prized gardenias, roses, orchids and birds of paradise, to name a few. Everything she touched flourished and she cherished each plant and flower that always surrounded her. She loved to travel with her family and friends but after all her trips, she most loved spending time in nature outside their home in Beacon Woods, or on North Redington Beach or riding quads up in the woods with her grandchildren in Old Town…wherever her family was…happy knowing that in their sunset years she and her husband could enjoy the fruits of their labor and sacrifices they made in their early years. Estelle is survived by her loving husband of 55 years, James; her devoted children, Carol Ann and James III; James’ wife, Danielle, and their children, Patrick and Brianna (the lights of Grandma’s life). She will also be greatly missed by her sister, Debra, and her brother, Ernest, his wife, Jane, and their extended family. Estelle’s siblings, Carmine, Carol Ann, Kathy and Tina all pre-deceased her. On the Pagnozzi side, Estelle also leaves behind nieces, Nicole and Dominique, nephews, Ernest and Christopher, and great nieces and nephews, Tristan, Zoey, Dominic and Preston. Lest we forget, Estelle loved animals and the family pets, dog, Bella, and cat, Pyewacket, will tremendously miss her hugs, treats and kisses. A life well lived…Estelle leaves behind a legacy of love…for cooking, baking and food; for bargain hunting; for gardening; for entertaining; for nature and travel; for teaching and medicine; and, most of all, for her family. The wake or visitation for Estelle Gilligan will be held at Trinity Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, Trinity, FL, on Friday, June 3, 2022 from 1-3pm and 5-8pm. A funeral mass will be held at St Michael’s Roman Catholic Church, SR 52, Bayonet Point, FL on Saturday, June 4, 2022 at 11am to be followed by a graveside service at Trinity Memorial Gardens Cemetary. The family is so grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers for Estelle and invite all mourners after the burial service to join them in Magnolia Hall at Trinity Memorial Gardens for a luncheon and to continue the celebration of her life. Donations can be made, if one wishes, to Estelle’ favorite charity, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. https://www.stjude.org/donate/donate-to-st-jude.html?sc_dcm=58700006942402314&sc_cid=kwp&sc_cat=b&amount=x&ds_rl=1285465&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIydmbk5qL-AIVtIFaBR0mxQkxEAAYASABEgLcG_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds