Ann Gelston Petroni

May 12, 1935 - January 13, 2026

"When the skiing's good, go skiing."
- Grania Devine

Ann Gelston Petroni - mother, loving wife, grandmother, friend, homemaker, athlete, volunteer and spirited Red Sox fan - passed away peacefully on January 13, 2026 at the age of 90 in Los Angeles, CA. Ann was born in New York, NY, adopted by Gelston Tyler and Mary Robinson King and raised in Sherborn, MA. She lived an extraordinary life filled with travel, adventures, and love for family and friends.

Ann graduated from Miss Porter's School in Farmington, CT and attended Connecticut College. She married her first husband Chisholm Halle of Cleveland, OH in 1955 and they had four children together - Alvah (Chis), Pamela, Samuel, and Michael. She married her second husband, Donald Victor Petroni, aka "Lovey," in 1973. The inseparable pair enjoyed 46 years of marriage until Donald's passing in 2019.

A favorite day of Ann's included gardening, tennis, long early morning beach walks and sea glass collecting, or swift descents of Aspen's Ruthie's run followed by dinner at the Crystal Palace. During her over 20 years in Los Angeles, she dedicated herself to the community, volunteering at the Veteran's Association, Children's Institute, Planned Parenthood, and the Ethics Commission under Mayor Riordan. She frequented the Ahmanson Theatre and Geffen Playhouse and was a season ticket holder for many years. In addition to show tunes, Ann enjoyed jazz (particularly New Orleans style) and classical (specifically the Boston Pops). Walking into her home you'd often be greeted with one of her favorite CDs roaring throughout the halls. Ann spent time abroad in Paris, France and travelled to many countries for the Olympic Games. Ann was an incredible host, with a particular love of holiday traditions. Her annual Christmas parties were always a gas with lots of laughs, dancing, and cocktails. Ann loved her family and made sure to rally the troops for special occasions like Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, despite busy schedules. After saying a "love you" goodbye to Ann, she would often respond back with "love you more." In 1995 Ann and her husband Donald settled in Santa Ynez, CA, spending over 20 years enjoying a peaceful landscape and many glasses of wine tucked under the rolling hills of Happy Canyon.

Ann is survived by her children Pamela King Halle of Los Angeles, Michael Gelston Halle of Portland, OR, Victor Petroni of Denver, CO and Lisa Osur of Rochester, NY. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Sarah Halle Aglar, Tyler Konkal, Hollander Halle, Augusta Halle, Isa Halle, Summit Osur, Emily Drees, Nicholas Petroni, Michael Petroni, Joseph Petroni and great-grandchildren Genevieve Petroni and Bastian Petroni. She is preceded in death by her first husband, Chisholm Halle, second husband, Donald V. Petroni, her two sons Alvah Chisholm Halle and Samuel H. Halle II, and her sister Mary Frothingham.

Services will be private. Should you care to honor Ann, ski a run or play a set of tennis. Charitable donations can be made to:
Planned Parenthood Los Angeles
Development@pp-la.org
213-284-3300
In honor of Ann G. Petroni