Cristina Polemeni

In Loving Memory of Cristina Hobbesland Polemeni

1973 – 2026

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Cristina Hobbesland Polemeni, who passed away on July 14, 2026, at the age of 53.

Cristina was born on May 8, 1973, in Brooklyn, New York, to Alfred and Gladys Hobbesland. She grew up on 56th Street in Brooklyn, surrounded by family, friends, and a community that loved her deeply. She shared a special bond with her lifelong friends Peter, Cheryl, and Christine, friendships that remained meaningful throughout her entire life.

Growing up, Cristina was surrounded by strong family values and traditions. She attended 59th Street Lutheran Church, where she was part of a faith community that helped shape her early years. She loved her childhood memories—spending summers at the beach, shopping with her parents, going on vacations with friends, enjoying Leisure Week, and traveling to Norway with her family to stay connected to her heritage. Those trips created memories she carried with her throughout her life.

Cristina had a heart full of compassion from a young age. She was an animal lover in every sense of the word. That love continued when she became a mother and built her own family. Growing up, her children knew that if they asked for an animal, Cristina would find a way to make it happen. Cats, dogs, bunnies—you name it, they had it. She loved seeing her children happy and never wanted them to miss out on the things that brought them joy.

That same love continued throughout her life. Her dogs, Bubba and Cooper, were not just pets—they were family. They were her shadows, following her wherever she went and always staying by her side. They brought Cristina endless happiness, comfort, and companionship, and she loved them with her whole heart. Even now, Bubba and Cooper miss her deeply and feel the absence of the person who cared for and loved them every day.

Cristina attended P.S. 105, Pershing Junior High School, and Franklin D. Roosevelt High School before continuing her education at the College of Staten Island, where she pursued a degree in nursing. Caring for others came naturally to Cristina, and nursing became much more than a profession—it became her calling.

She began her career at the Norwegian Christian Home as a nursing aide. Through more than 30 years of dedication, compassion, and hard work, Cristina became a registered nurse and eventually rose to the position of Nursing Supervisor. She was a highly respected and decorated nurse who dedicated her life to helping others. Cristina cared for countless patients with kindness and dignity and formed lifelong friendships with the people she worked alongside. She was known for her compassion, leadership, and the genuine care she showed everyone around her.

In 1995, Cristina met the love of her life, Paul Polemeni, in a story that perfectly captured her confidence and personality. While Paul was working as a server, Cristina kissed a paper napkin, wrote down her phone number, and handed it to him. That simple but unforgettable gesture was the beginning of a love story that would change both of their lives forever.

Cristina and Paul built a relationship filled with love, laughter, adventure, and unwavering devotion. They enjoyed many vacations together, including trips to Bermuda and Jamaica, creating memories they would cherish forever. On June 22, 2002, Cristina and Paul were married and began the next chapter of their lives together.

After purchasing their home on Staten Island, Cristina and Paul prepared to welcome their growing family. While Cristina was pregnant, she and Paul stayed with her father, Alfred, at his home in Brooklyn. Every day, Alfred traveled to Staten Island and spent countless hours renovating their house from the ground up. He poured his love and hard work into creating a home where his daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren would build their lives. That home became the place where decades of memories would be made.

On May 7, 2003, just one day before Cristina’s 30th birthday, Cristina and Paul welcomed their twins, Alyssa and Matthew. When they left the hospital, they brought their babies directly home to their newly finished Staten Island house—a home built with love by Alfred. Their family became complete on December 20, 2004, with the birth of their youngest son, Christopher.

Cristina and Paul built their lives around their children. While Cristina continued her career as a nurse, Paul proudly served as a detective with the New York City Police Department. Together, they created a home filled with love, laughter, and support. Their family did everything together—vacations, holidays, birthdays, family dinners, and everyday moments. They were truly “peas in a pod.”

Some of the family’s favorite memories were the simple moments they shared together: watching movies as a family, spending beach days together, taking vacations to Long Beach Island, having barbecues, going out to eat at some of Cristina’s favorite restaurants like Skinflints and Gino’s, and traveling wherever a baseball or softball tournament took them. Those trips were never just about the games—they were about family, laughter, memories, and being together.

As the children grew, sports quickly became a huge part of their lives. Although Paul grew up playing sports, Cristina loved to joke that she did not have “one athletic bone” in her body. She would laugh about how her middle school tried to make her play basketball because she was tall, but she couldn’t do it because, as she joked, “the kids smelled bad.”

Despite not being an athlete herself, Cristina became the ultimate sports mom. With three children playing on three different teams, it was not easy to be everywhere at once, but Cristina somehow made it happen. She packed every snack, made sure every uniform was ready, remembered every schedule, and did everything possible to make sure each of her children felt supported. She rarely missed a game because watching her children do what they loved brought her so much happiness.

Sports took the family all over New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, South Carolina, and beyond. Through Mid Island Little League, RCBC, Richmond Titans, and Staten Island Saints, the family gained lifelong friendships that became like family. All three children continued playing sports through college and each received athletic scholarships.Cristina was proud of every accomplishment her children achieved, but what mattered most to her was preparing them for life. Before they left for college, she made sure each of them knew how to cook, clean, do laundry, and take care of themselves. Although she was sad to see them go, she was incredibly proud of the adults they were becoming. And no matter how old they got, she always sent them back with food because taking care of her children was simply who she was.

Cristina was an incredible cook. Her kitchen was the heart of her home, and no one ever left hungry. Whether it was a holiday meal, a family dinner, or simply sending someone home with leftovers, food was one of the many ways she showed her love. She had a way of bringing people together around the table and making everyone feel welcomed, cared for, and part of her family.

More than anything, Cristina wanted her children to have everything they needed and everything that brought them happiness. Whether they were young children asking for something special or young adults chasing their dreams, Cristina always found a way to support them. She worked hard, sacrificed endlessly, and made sure her children knew they were loved. Providing for her family was one of the greatest ways she showed her love.

Cristina found joy in the simple moments of life. She loved spending time at the beach, shopping, traveling, and making memories with the people she loved most. Later in life, she especially enjoyed shopping with her lifelong best friend, Synnove. Their friendship brought Cristina so much happiness, and the memories they created together will always be treasured.

When her mother became ill, Cristina stepped away from the career she loved to care for her. She gave her mother the same patience, compassion, and unconditional love that she had spent her entire life giving to others. Caring for the people she loved was not something Cristina had to think about—it was simply who she was.

Cristina experienced the heartbreak of losing some of the people closest to her. She was preceded in death by her beloved mother, Gladys Hobbesland, on February 5, 1999; her father, Alfred Hobbesland, on April 16, 2020; and the love of her life, Paul Polemeni, on April 16, 2023. Through every loss, Cristina showed incredible strength and continued to put her family first.

Cristina is survived by her three beloved children: Alyssa Polemeni, who proudly followed in her mother’s footsteps and became a nurse; Matthew Polemeni, who is pursuing his dream of serving his community through the FDNY; and Christopher Polemeni, who is currently playing baseball at the University of Connecticut with hopes and aspirations of being drafted into Major League Baseball.

She is also survived by her sister, Torrunn; her lifelong best friend, Synnove; and countless relatives, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and members of her extended sports family whose lives she touched.

Cristina’s greatest accomplishment was not only the career she built, although she was an extraordinary nurse. Her greatest accomplishment was the family she created. She believed in her children wholeheartedly. She encouraged their dreams, celebrated their victories, comforted them through their struggles, and would have done absolutely anything for them.

The greatest gift Cristina ever gave her children was each other. She raised Alyssa, Matthew, and Christopher to be more than siblings—she raised them to be best friends, protectors, and each other’s greatest source of strength. She taught them to work hard, love deeply, care for others, and always put family first. She made sure that when she was no longer here, they would never have to face life alone because they would always have one another.

More than anything else, Cristina will be remembered as “Momma.” It was the name her children called her when they were younger, and before long, everyone on the block called her Momma too. It was a testament to the kind of person she was. Cristina had a way of making everyone feel safe, welcomed, protected, and loved. She was not only a mother to her own children—she became a mother figure to so many others.

My was our home. She was our safe place. She was our lifeline. She believed in us before we believed in ourselves, loved us without condition, and gave us the greatest gift she ever could—she gave us each other.

We will spend the rest of our lives searching for that feeling of home, knowing that for us, home was never a place.

Home was Momma.

She will be forever loved, forever missed, and forever carried in our hearts.

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