Anna M. Badey

Anna M. Badey (nee Santagata), age 97, of Saint David’s, PA, passed away peacefully at home on June 27, 2022.

Born and raised in South Philadelphia, Anna was born in 1924 in the front bedroom of her family’s rowhouse, the oldest of Michael and Mary Santagata’s six children. After her husband of 55 years passed away in 1998, she moved to her son’s home in Saint David’s.  She left us the same way that she arrived, in her bedroom and peacefully at home.

Anna enjoyed politics, first got involved in 1948, and worked on the election board at her polling place. She was later elected as a Democratic committee-person in South Philadelphia’s 39^th Ward and served in that role for over 30 years, including a stint as Vice Chair of the ward. After moving to Radnor Township (St. David’s) she ran and won a contested election for committee person in 2002. She was re-elected every four years thereafter, including her most recent re-election on May 17, 2022. With well over 70 years of service, locally, Anna was considered the Matriarch of the Democratic Party, and was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Women’s Democratic Club of Delaware County in 2016. With her election last month at age 97, she was the oldest elected committee person serving in Delaware County and quite possibly in all of Pennsylvania. Over the years she served as a local chair of the March of Dimes in the 1960’s, consistently served on the Home and School Associations from the 1950’s and into the 1970’s while her children attended, and was a reader at Sunday School for her grandsons. She enjoyed all kinds of music, especially the golden era of 1940’s big band music, and of course South Philadelphia mummers string band music. But Anna’s greatest joy was her family.

In 1943, at age 18, she married the love of her life, George Badey, and over the ensuing decades was always at the center of her close-knit, loving immediate and extended family. Anna is survived by and was the devoted mother of Anne Badey Raffa (Ken) and George Badey III (Alison). Loving grandmother of Annie Raffa Wilson (Jeff), Cathy Raffa Reppert (Uriah), George Badey IV, and Michael Badey. She received the coveted title of “great-grandmother” and was affectionately known as “Gigi” by her great-grandchildren, James Milligan, Matthew Milligan, Milana Reppert, Jayce Reppert, and her namesake, Anna Maria Wilson.

Relatives and friends are invited to her visitation on Saturday, July 2 from 9:30 – 10:45 a.m. at St. Katharine of Siena Roman Catholic Church, 104 S. Aberdeen Avenue, Wayne, PA 19087 (corner of Lancaster Avenue and Aberdeen Avenue). Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery in West Conshohocken, PA.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the charity of your choice.