Obituary of Lucy Verruto

Schenectady - Lucy (Pietrosanto) Verruto- Our beloved Lucy passed away peacefully on Monday, March 24, 2014 after a long period of declining health. Lucy was born in Schenectady on December 13, 1921, the Feast of St. Lucy, to Joseph and Maria Grazia (Cesare) Pietrosanto. She graduated from Vocational High School where she was captain of the cheerleading squad, and went to work at General Electric where she met Louis (Louie) W. Verruto, just back from the Army. They married on October 6, 1946 and moved to New Rochelle, NY, where Louie had a shoe repair business, Empire Shoe Rebuilders. Happily a stay at home mother, she was active in the PTA at Holy Family School and knitted woolies and mittens for the Sisters of St. Dominic. She and Louie had two children, a son, Louis and a daughter, Claudia. When Louie died suddenly at the age of 39, she sold his business and their home, not an easy task for a young woman in 1961. She moved herself and her children to her and Louie's hometown of Schenectady, NY, to be near their families. She became employed at Saveway Supermarkets, the State Department of Labor, Schenectady Community College and St. Anthony Church, where she served as parish secretary for many years before her retirement in 1995. Besides her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by her beloved son, Louis R. Verruto in 2004; her brother, Anthony Pietrosanto and her sisters, Olinda Patierno and Lena DeCarlo. She leaves to mourn her passing, her loving daughter, Claudia Verruto Bernstein and her husband, Barry of South Windsor, CT; her cherished granddaughters, Sarah Elisabeth Feeney and Christa Mackenzie Feeney of Connecticut; their father, her former son-in-law, Thomas Feeney of Connecticut; her daughter-in-law, Darlene Verruto; her brother, Joseph Pietrosanto and his wife, Marilyn of Saratoga; a brother-in-law, Dick Verruto; and several nephews, nieces, grandnephews and grandnieces and lifelong friends. She will be remembered for her grace in the face of tragedy and hardship, her wit that she shared with her family and friends, her ladylike beauty and her impeccable morals. She was a talented gardener, knitter, crossword puzzle enthusiast and cook, her Christmas Eve traditional fish dinners were second to none. She was an outstanding mother who raised her two children without their father when single parenthood was not much heard of. She made sure her son and daughter would never feel different or deprived without their father, working hard to give them music and dance lessons and a Catholic education, and family around them. May she rest now in peace with her beloved husband and son. Mom, Nana, we will love you and miss you forever. Funeral service, Saturday morning, 9:15 a.m. from the Daly Funeral Home, 242 McClellan St. and 10 a.m. at St John the Evangelist Church where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated. Calling hours will be held on Friday evening, March 28 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be at St. John the Baptist Cemetery, Brandywine Avenue. Memorial donations may be made to the St. Anthony Building Fund.