Obituary for Mary Lou Arangio
Mary Lou Arangio, born July 11, 1941 in Brooklyn, NY, passed away after a hard fought battle with acute myeloid leukemia, surrounded by her loving husband and daughters on July 8, 2022.
Beloved wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend- to know her, was to love her. She touched so many lives for the better. She was a true force of nature and the rock of her family. She was giving, loving, strong, funny and dynamic. She brought enthusiasm and excitement to every setting and found joy in the simplest of things. She loved politics, volunteering for John F. Kennedy’s presidential campaign before she could even vote. She loved her country and was a true patriot - so proud of the veterans in her family. She was a faithful Catholic and also a champion for women’s empowerment. She instilled in her daughters the grit and confidence to succeed in their careers. She inspired so many others to be their best and set their sights high.
A woman of very humble beginnings, she landed a job in the recording industry (where she met her husband) working for music mogul, Don Kirshner, and rubbed elbows with top celebrities of the 1960s. She later served as an executive assistant and office manager in the Farmingdale Public Schools for 32 years (most of that time at Albany Avenue elementary school). Mary Lou was a dedicated parent volunteer and a popular Brownie troop leader and softball coach. She was a long time community activist and advocated for education and lobbied for additional education funding. She worked to secure development of the Airport Plaza Center which brought significant tax revenue to Farmingdale. She was President of the local PTA, a PTA regional representative and also President of the CSEA union for 20 years representing 190 members, working tirelessly to improve their benefits, salary and quality of life. In recognition of her many achievements, she was chosen as a NY State Senate 2008 Woman of Distinction.
Her true legacy, however, was her family. She often said the happiest day of her life was the day she married her beloved husband of nearly 58 years, Tom. They were inseparable and he kept her laughing throughout her life. She was an ever present and selfless mother to her two daughters and the most involved, adoring grandmother to her five precious grandchildren. She was their greatest cheerleader and best friend.
Mary Lou found pleasure in the simplest of things. She was an avid reader, enjoyed gardening and watching her favorite cable news shows. She was beyond thoughtful and will always be remembered for the cards she regularly sent out with her own heartfelt messages to family and friends on birthdays and anniversaries, or just to say thank you. She never forgot a loved one. She enjoyed traveling to Europe, visits to her Florida home and truly relished and loved her beautiful life on Long Island.
She is survived by her husband, Thomas, her daughters Jennifer (Chase) and Christina (Chad), her beloved grandchildren Amanda, Samantha, Megan, Tommy and Luke and her siblings Joan, Diane, and John. She is predeceased by her parents Philomena “Fannie” (nee Petrungaro) and Stephen Bevacqua.
The wake will be held for Mary Lou on Monday, July 18, 2022 from 3-7 pm at McCourt & Trudden Funeral Home at 385 Main St. in Farmingdale, NY, 11735. A funeral mass will be held on Tuesday, July 19, 2022 at Maria Regina Catholic Church, 3945 Jerusalem Ave. Seaford, NY 11763 at 9:45 am. A committal service will be held immediately after at St. Charles/Resurrection Cemeteries at 2015 Wellwood Ave., Farmingdale, NY, 11735.
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to two causes very close to her heart: Tunnels to Towers, https://t2t.org/
or the Down Syndrome Aim High Resource Center at the Center for Disability Services,
https://www.cfdsny.org/donation-form
Please select ‘in memory’ of Mary Lou Arangio in the tribute gift section to ensure donations go to the DSAHRC Extra MILE Program.
Beloved wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend- to know her, was to love her. She touched so many lives for the better. She was a true force of nature and the rock of her family. She was giving, loving, strong, funny and dynamic. She brought enthusiasm and excitement to every setting and found joy in the simplest of things. She loved politics, volunteering for John F. Kennedy’s presidential campaign before she could even vote. She loved her country and was a true patriot - so proud of the veterans in her family. She was a faithful Catholic and also a champion for women’s empowerment. She instilled in her daughters the grit and confidence to succeed in their careers. She inspired so many others to be their best and set their sights high.
A woman of very humble beginnings, she landed a job in the recording industry (where she met her husband) working for music mogul, Don Kirshner, and rubbed elbows with top celebrities of the 1960s. She later served as an executive assistant and office manager in the Farmingdale Public Schools for 32 years (most of that time at Albany Avenue elementary school). Mary Lou was a dedicated parent volunteer and a popular Brownie troop leader and softball coach. She was a long time community activist and advocated for education and lobbied for additional education funding. She worked to secure development of the Airport Plaza Center which brought significant tax revenue to Farmingdale. She was President of the local PTA, a PTA regional representative and also President of the CSEA union for 20 years representing 190 members, working tirelessly to improve their benefits, salary and quality of life. In recognition of her many achievements, she was chosen as a NY State Senate 2008 Woman of Distinction.
Her true legacy, however, was her family. She often said the happiest day of her life was the day she married her beloved husband of nearly 58 years, Tom. They were inseparable and he kept her laughing throughout her life. She was an ever present and selfless mother to her two daughters and the most involved, adoring grandmother to her five precious grandchildren. She was their greatest cheerleader and best friend.
Mary Lou found pleasure in the simplest of things. She was an avid reader, enjoyed gardening and watching her favorite cable news shows. She was beyond thoughtful and will always be remembered for the cards she regularly sent out with her own heartfelt messages to family and friends on birthdays and anniversaries, or just to say thank you. She never forgot a loved one. She enjoyed traveling to Europe, visits to her Florida home and truly relished and loved her beautiful life on Long Island.
She is survived by her husband, Thomas, her daughters Jennifer (Chase) and Christina (Chad), her beloved grandchildren Amanda, Samantha, Megan, Tommy and Luke and her siblings Joan, Diane, and John. She is predeceased by her parents Philomena “Fannie” (nee Petrungaro) and Stephen Bevacqua.
The wake will be held for Mary Lou on Monday, July 18, 2022 from 3-7 pm at McCourt & Trudden Funeral Home at 385 Main St. in Farmingdale, NY, 11735. A funeral mass will be held on Tuesday, July 19, 2022 at Maria Regina Catholic Church, 3945 Jerusalem Ave. Seaford, NY 11763 at 9:45 am. A committal service will be held immediately after at St. Charles/Resurrection Cemeteries at 2015 Wellwood Ave., Farmingdale, NY, 11735.
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to two causes very close to her heart: Tunnels to Towers, https://t2t.org/
or the Down Syndrome Aim High Resource Center at the Center for Disability Services,
https://www.cfdsny.org/donation-form
Please select ‘in memory’ of Mary Lou Arangio in the tribute gift section to ensure donations go to the DSAHRC Extra MILE Program.