Antonietta was born and raised in the capital of Asmara, State of Eritrea in the Horn of Africa. She married Robert (Bob) Hagen in 1962 and now resides in Nashua, NH.

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Antonietta and Bob have two children; a son, Massimo Hagen and a daughter, Monica Leo. They have been blessed with two grandchildren, Cameron age 18 and Brianna, age 14. Antonietta home schooled her grandchildren in religious education when they were in elementary school.

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Antonietta received her education in Asmara, where she completed high school, a two year course in Home Economics at College S. Anna Asmara and has an English Proficiency Certificate from the University of Cambridge U.K.

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Antonietta and Bob met while he was serving in the US Navy (served from 1956-1960) in Asmara. Their married lives have been full of adventures. They were married in Asmara in 1962 and left right after their marriage vows. They moved to Ankara and Samsun, Turkey for 16 months. Bob was then a civilian working for Page Communication Engineers. They then moved to the enchanting island of Rhodes, Greece where they lived for 6 months while Bob worked on a project to replace the US Coast Guard Cutter Courier, a Voice of America broadcasting ship, with a land-based transmitter.

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Antonietta worked for the US Army Corps of Engineers in Kagnew Station, Asmara, and again at the US Air Force base in Samsun, Turkey.

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In 1964, they moved to Alexandria, Va, where Bob continued to work for Page Communication and Antonietta was a full time homemaker, raising her two children.

In 1978, Antonietta and Bob purchased their current home on Briarcliff Drive and became members of St. Joseph the Worker Parish. She later worked for 15 years as a mortgage processor for First New England Mortgage in Nashua. Antonietta has also taught language classes (Italian) for RISE at Rivier University and for the adult program at Nashua North High School. She now offers Italian lessons in the comfort of her home.

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Antonietta has been involved in volunteer work for the parish and the community in various roles:

• Eucharistic Minister

• Outreach Program visiting parishioners and bringing Holy Communion to Shut-Ins

• RCIA Program

• Parish Council

• Sacristan

• Adoration Coordinator and Volunteer

• Rosary Devotion Coordinator at Nashua Crossings and Volunteer

• Knights of Columbus Spaghetti Supper Fundraiser Volunteer

• Thallassemia Foundation Fundraisers

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In her spare time, Antonietta visits a neighbor in her home who is affected with Alzheimer’s and often visits friends and neighbors in hospitals and rehab centers.

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Antonietta and Bob love to spend time with their family and especially with their grandchildren. They enjoy playing Buraco, a very popular card game played in Europe and South America. They love traveling abroad and spend time at the beach when weather permits.

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Our parish gratefully recognizes all that Antonietta has done and continues to do to build up God’s Kingdom among us and we ask God’s blessings upon her and her loved ones.