5 minute read
The DeAngelo Family
Resident Feature
A Family Adventure in Newtown Square
by Craig Whitney
Photography by Shannon Lynn Photography www.ShannonLynnPhotography.com
Matt and Mary Anne met in the early ‘80s at Haverford High School, but didn’t develop a relationship until they met again in 2002. It was an interesting time, especially when they realized that not much had changed with their families. Both sets of parents were still alive, married, lived in the same houses and even had the same phone numbers, 20 years later.
Matt and Mary Anne DeAngelo
Photo by Shannon Lynn Photography
Matt graduated high school and became a carpenter. In the early years, he worked with different builders but eventually, he went out on his own. His primary focus was in the finish work but that skill grew over time and he would eventually supervise other contractors on larger custom homes on the Main Line.
Mary Anne began working right out of high school, for a commercial printing business until they closed their doors in 2011. It was a small family-owned company where she started out answering the phones. She worked her way up to the Production Department. The company worked primarily with designers in Center City Philadelphia and was involved in a lot of high-profile events throughout the years. It was at this company that Mary Anne was able to work part-time when they decided to start their family. She returned to work full-time once their children started school.
Mary Anne has since taken a position as a sales associate with a manufacturer representative group in the janitorial / sanitation industry. Many manufacturers outsource their sales team, and Mary Anne’s work involves facilitating the business between manufacturers and wholesalers / distributors.
Matt and Mary Anne started their family in Aldan. Their son Matthew was born in 2004 and Kevin in 2006. Matt owned a duplex that he renovated into a single-family home. The entire inside of the house was gutted and redesigned by Matt and Mary Anne. Every detail was chosen with care. It was their first home and they will always carry fond memories of it.
When the boys became of school age, Matt and Mary Anne realized they needed to make a move. They zeroed in on Newtown Square for a variety of reasons: The close-knit community, the beautiful neighborhoods, the public school system. The plus is that Newtown Square is equal distance from both sets of grandparents.
They both loved Newtown Square enough to pick up and move. Mary Anne insisted that it would be the town their children would grow up in from a young age to college. “My parents moved when I was heading into junior high,” Mary Anne said, “I remember how difficult that was. So, I wanted to pick the perfect place that my kids will stay in until college.”
Matthew and Kevin currently attend Saint Anastasia School, and will be going to Marple High School in the coming years. Both boys have a love of reading that they got from their mom.
Kevin and Matthew DeAngelo
Photo by Shannon Lynn Photography
Both boys are altar servers at St. Anastasia Parish, and will be until they graduate from 8 th grade. They’re also American history buffs: They read books, watch The History Channel, and attend local events geared toward U.S. history.
Matthew is very active in sports. He plays football, baseball and basketball, and also runs track. He’s also in Boy Scout Troop 315. “Matthew is serious, thoughtful and respectful,” Mary Anne said proudly, “We get compliments about him from other adults all the time, saying how he looks you in the eye and shakes your hand and thanks you for having him over. He is very mature for his age.”
Kevin is what the kids today call “a gamer.” He has the whole system, a special gaming computer, routers and a bigger monitor than his parents’ home computer. He also likes to draw and has created quite a few comic books that Mary Anne thinks are “pretty amazing.” “Kevin is probably one of the smartest kids you’ll ever meet,” Matt spoke proudly of his son. “He’s intelligent, a great reader, and a great speaker. He doesn’t talk a lot but when he does, everyone is impressed.”
The DeAngelos are very active in their parish, Saint Anastasia. They attend Mass regularly and have been involved in a few organizations like Preparing to Live in Love, in which they were mentors for engaged couples. “Working with the engaged couples helped us put our marriage into perspective,” Mary Anne explained.
The DeAngelo Family (L to R): Family dog Shilo, Matthew, Matt, Mary Anne and Kevin
Photo by Shannon Lynn Photography
The DeAngelos own a mountain house in Sullivan County. Almost every time they go up there, they take a trip to the war museum in Sonestown. Their memorabilia collection includes something from every war in the last 100 years or so.
Just as important to the whole family is having fun out in nature at their mountain house. They like to be outdoors as much as possible. Of all the DeAngelos, Kevin is the one who always wants to be out on the water. “Whether it’s the water park, ocean, pool or the creek up the mountains,” Mary Anne said, “Kevin just loves the water.”
The DeAngelos have enjoyed many adventures wherever and whenever they can, but the one constant is their love of Newtown Square.
An exciting and different kind of “adventure” for the DeAngelo family three years ago was adopting Shilo, a dog they rescued from the SPCA. With Shilo, Matthew and Kevin growing, learning and having fun as a family, Matt and Mary Anne are very grateful to have found their home in Newtown Square.
Do you know a neighbor who has a story to share? Nominate your neighbor to be featured in one of our upcoming issues! Contact us at cwhitney@bestversionmedia.com.
