Patti Stevens Lacitignola, born in New York City, was a beloved North Jersey vocalist, entertainer, poet, and author whose extraordinary life was defined by resilience, talent, generosity, and an enduring love of music. She passed away on October 3, 2026, at the age of 93.

At just five years old, Patti sang the entire Mass in Latin. At eight and nine, during World War II, she sang and danced for soldiers at camp shows. When she was nine, she auditioned for Major Bowes and was accepted, appearing on two of his shows. Her talent was already becoming evident to audiences far beyond her immediate surroundings.

At 12, Patti won a scholarship to the Metropolitan Opera and studied there with Charles Albert McLain, beginning what would become an extraordinary lifelong career in music and entertainment.

Patti began singing and dancing professionally at a remarkably young age. Over the course of her career, she became an accomplished vocalist and entertainer with a repertoire spanning music from the 1930s through the 1980s, including Broadway musicals, popular standards, show tunes, and country-western favorites.

Her professional career included television and radio appearances, USO performances, local radio programs, and appearances on the Major Bowes Show and Ted Mack TV Show. She was also accepted to appear on Paul Whiteman’s Talent Teen TV Show and participated in the March of Dimes Telethon and the District 16-A Lions Telethon.

Patti’s career took her to stages, supper clubs, lounges, hotels, and country clubs throughout New Jersey, New York, Florida, California, Kentucky, and beyond. She performed at the famed Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, Disney World, the Neptune Hotel in Miami Beach, the Peppermint Lounge and Tony Pastor’s in New York City, the Blue Angel in New York City, Pocono Mountain Resorts, and the Hotel Roosevelt and Grant Hyatt in New York City, among many other notable venues.

She performed with and alongside many accomplished entertainers and musicians, including Debbie Reynolds and Alan King at a Heart Fund event at the Fontainebleau in Miami Beach, and appeared with Count Basie at the Harborside Lounge in Miami Beach. She sang with the Lenny Dian Orchestra for 10 years, worked with the Continentals orchestra for three years in Bayonne, and appeared with several of North Jersey’s leading country-western bands. She was also an accomplished master of ceremonies.

Patti’s bass player had performed with the legendary Judy Garland, and after hearing Patti sing during a band warm-up, Judy herself once told Patti that she had a beautiful voice, a cherished compliment Patti carried with her.

Patti’s dedication to music was matched by her dedication to helping others. Despite her busy professional career, she continually made time to perform at charitable events and hospitals. She was deeply involved with the Lions organization, UNICO National, veterans’ hospitals, and organizations supporting children with disabilities.

Patti was honored by Lions International 16-A for 20 years of fundraising for foundations supporting the blind. She also arranged numerous fashion shows through UNICO and D.R.’s Association for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Bergen County.

For many years, Patti produced and performed musicals for patients at Pollack Hospital in Jersey City, bringing entertainment and joy to those who were hospitalized. Her commitment to charitable performances reflected the generous spirit that remained a defining part of her life.

Patti was also a gifted writer. She was the author of The Other Side of Me, (Book of Poems) and one of her most honorable poems, Five Beneath the Wall can be seen on a plaque outside the Cliffside Park Fire Department, alongside memorials honoring five Ridgefield Firefighters who lost their lives in a fire on October 15, 1967 at the Cardinal Lanes Bowling Alley in Cliffside Park. Through her writing, Patti preserved memories and honored lives dedicated to serving others..

Patti was predeceased by her husband, John Lacitignola, her daughters, Lucille Zena Donna Eng, and, Christina LaSalle, and her son, Anthony Liguori. She is survived by several grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and her brother, Gary Hone. She also leaves behind dear friends Michael and Carolyn Oriente, Linda Smith, Big Mike, Josephine Carofalo Racli, Angel Carofalo, and Kathy and Danny DeCarlo.

Patti will be remembered for her remarkable voice, her extraordinary career, her resilience, her generosity, and her ability to bring people together through music. From singing Latin Mass at five years old to performing on stages across the country, Patti never stopped sharing her gift.

Visiting, Wednesday, October 7, 2026, 4-8 PM at the Shook Funeral Home, 639 Van Houten Ave., Clifton.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Thursday, October 8, 2026, 10 AM at the Church of St. Andrew, 120 Washington Ave., Westwood, NJ 07675. Kindly meet at the church. Cremation will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, www.StJude.org, in Patti's memory would be greatly appreciated.

Below, please read 3 of Patti's most meaningful poems, that were near and dear to her heart.

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Time:

They say that time will heal all wounds that only time will tell,

And so the hands on the clock go round, life is heaven or it's hell

It's 12 o'clock, 6 o'clock, 9 and 10

that small hand leads the way

It calls out every hour

And brings to close, another day

You cannot stop the strongest hand that

moves, in all this world

It can't be pulled back, or pushed ahead to please

any boy or girl

For the hand of time, is the hand of God

And only he can say,

If happiness, or far more sadness

Will be yours, and mine today

Sit back and wait, my impatient friend, I tell

you all this, as a mother

God may have closed one door on you, But

in TIME, he will open another

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Priceless Treasure

Dedicated to my Three Daughters

Three beautiful roses, so sweet and true

Pure lovely roses, all fresh with dew

Soft are there petals, handle with care

A scent perfume fills the air

Three precious rubies, perfection so rare

high tones of redness shine in their hair

Three priceless rubies, glitter, yet simple

No price for one little dimple

Yes a king's home, his fortune and land

Could not equal this great wealth

I have here on hand

The sound of their voices, their eyes sparkling true

Their wrinkled up noses when something won't do

I'd much rather be me

than any baron or earls

For I have the worlds greatest treasure of all

My three beautiful girls

Dear Lucille, Donna, and Christine

The prettiest girls I've ever seen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Memory To My Son Tony

Once upon a time

There was a little boy

Like a mother would feel

He was her pride and joy

He was so special in many ways

Filling her nights with love

And oh- so many days

I thought this happiness would last forever

That this mother and son

Would always be together

Now God has take my greatest love

At least I know my son is in heaven above

One day we will surely meet again

With my arms out stretched to hold you close

To my heart

Never ever again to part