Antoinette Echenique, loving mother, sister and grandmother lived in Kona, Hawaii and was a part-time resident of Whidbey Island, passed away on Sept. 17, 2007 at the age of 78. She smiled, sang and danced her way through life.

Anotinette was born in Albania on June 8, 1929 and came to Ellis Island in 1934. She graduated from Newtown High in 1947.

Antoinette studied music and voice and proved to be an accomplished singer. She performed throughout New York and volunteered her time singing to patients in many New York hospitals. She was also involved in community theater and performed in many musical productions throughout New York and Long Island.

Antoinette raised three children on Long Island and was a homemaker or, as she liked to say, “domestic engineer.”

She later moved to Kona, Hawaii to be close to her daughter, where she continued to be involved with the Aloha Theater, performing in “Gypsy” and other musicals.

Antoinette touched everyone she ever met with her beautiful smile, twinkle in her eye and her generous and larger-than-life loving spirit.

She is preceded in death by her parents, brother Theodore, and sisters Olga and Olimbia. She is survived by her best friend and father of her children, Mauricio Echenique; her three children, Melissa Echenique and Thomas Fulton of Kona, Hawaii, Irene Echenique and Eric Daigneault of Coupeville, and Rodolfo and Lynn Echenique of Long Island, N.Y.; her two loving and adoring granddaughters Bree and Noelle Daigneault; and her two brothers, Mitch Gregory of Miami, Fla. and James Gregory of Union City, N.J.; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Memorial services will be held on Nov. 11 at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, Flushing, N.Y.