Antoinette Louise Pighetti Seidelmann

Antoinette Louise Pighetti “Toni Lou” was born on November 15, 1945, in Chicago, Illinois, and peacefully left this earth with her husband and living daughter by her side on June 14, 2024. As a child, she had fond memories with her parents, Jeanette (Anderson) Pighetti and Anthony Louis Pighetti, older sister Joanne, and her childhood friends who named themselves “The El Dorados;’ Myra, Patty, Judy, and Anna who would become lifelong friends.

When Toni was a teenager, she discovered her love of mathematics, and this love of learning is something she continued to embrace for the rest of her life.

Antoinette graduated from Tuley High School in 1963, and attended Chicago Teacher College North, now called Northeastern College to pursue a degree in Mathematics Education, graduating in 1966. Thus began her long career teaching math to students at the elementary, middle, high school, and eventually the college level.

In 1965, she met the love of her life, James Seidelmann at a best friend’s wedding, where she declared to him, “they are trying to marry me off.” Jim took Toni onto the dance floor and the rest of their love story is history. They were engaged in 1966 and exchanged their wedding vows on October 21, 1967.

Their first daughter, Jennifer Anne Seidelmann was born on March 21, 1973, and Toni and Jim soon purchased their first home together in Oak Park, Illinois where they spent the next 30 plus years growing their roots in the community. They welcomed their second daughter, Elizabeth (Beth) Anne Seidelmann in 1978 and their family was complete. Antionette spent the next decade pursuing her master’s degree in mathematics, graduating in 1988, and while teaching, she was an active member of many Mathematics Teaching Councils and Organizations. She also found time to write a book “Stop the Vacuum, I want to get off!” and was a 30-year volunteer interpreter at the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio among many other accomplishments. The family was also active members in the Newcomer’s club, The Oak Park Tennis Club and United Lutheran Church, making endless connections and lifelong friendships along the way. They enjoyed many years camping and fishing in Canada and Northern Minnesota, and also began to find their love of travel.

In the early 1990’s, Toni was hired as the Math Department Chair at Thornridge High School where she finished her career as a full time Mathematics instructor before retiring in 2006. Toni’s passion for learning reached its pinnacle when she pursued her Doctorate in Mathematics Education at Illinois State University, graduating in 2005. She wrote her dissertation on Student’s Conception of Zero.”

Toni and Jim moved permanently to Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia in 2006. Toni became very active in the local AAUW, the Smith Mountain Lake Democrats, and was in adjunct professor at Ferrum College.

After being diagnosed and beating breast cancer in 2012, Toni became a very active volunteer in the Discovery Shop, and organization that raised money for the American Cancer Socierty. She also found her love for Pickleball, Mahjong, Book Clubs, and continued to travel worldwide both with her husband Jim, but also with her children and grandchildren. When her cancer was later discovered to have metastasized, she fought it, never wanting her cancer diagnosis to define her, and she lived the last 12 years of her life to the fullest.

Since her passing on June 14, the outpouring of support and condolences has shown her family how many lives she not only touched over the years, but that she made a lasting impact on many. Toni was not one who was going to let life pass her by, she took her life by the horns and lived it with joy and vigor until her peaceful passing.

Antoinette is survived by her dedicated husband of 57 years, James Seidelmann. Her daughter, Elizabeth (jack) Bataoel, her grandchildren Justin Andrews, Zachary and Marion Bataoel, her sister Joanne Lutzow, her two nephews Robert (Dawn) and Christopher Harmon, and countless cousins from the United Sates, Germany, and Italy. She is joining her parents, in-laws, sister-in-law, and her first born daughter, Jennifer Andrews in the afterlife.

There will be a Celebration of Life on July 15th at 2:00pm at Trinity Ecumenical Parish in Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia. A second celebration will be scheduled in early October in the Chicagoland area.

Her family requests in lieu of flowers, donations are made to the Smith Mountain Lake AAUW in her name where a scholarship fund will be created. Please send all donations to SMAAUW, PO Box 632, Hardy, VA 24101. Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Smith Mountain Lake is assisting the family.