Obituary of Dorothy J. Giammarino

Dorothy J. Giammarino, 80, a resident of Wappingers Falls, entered into rest Friday, March 14, 2014 at St. Francis Hospital in Poughkeepsie. She was 80. Daughter of the late Albert Bruce and Mary Brennan Morley, She was born on May 17, 1933 in the Town of Newburgh. She was educated in the Newburgh School District and graduated from NFA in 1951; where she was awarded a scholarship for nursing. She went on to graduate from Vassar Brothers Hospital School of Nursing in 1954. Dorothy worked at Vassar Brothers Hospital for the next forty years, retiring in 1995. She was a member of the Vassar Brothers Hospital School of Nursing Alumnae Association. She married the love of her life, Ralph J. Giammarino on January 22, 1955 at St. Mary's Church in Poughkeepsie. Mr. Giammarino survives at home in Wappingers Falls. Dorothy had many interests and hobbies including gardening, knitting and crocheting, stained glass and reading true crime novels. She had a deep love of animals, especially her cat, Morley. She enjoyed songbirds, especially the cardinal. Together with her husband, they cared for homing pigeons. A favorite pigeon was Speedy who traveled 500 miles in 12 hours. She had a love to get away on vacation, especially to Long Beach Island in New Jersey and treasured a trip to Aruba shared with her husband. Above all, she will be remembered for her love of friends and family. She was very family oriented always putting her family first. In addition to her husband of 59 years, Ralph J. Giammarino, she is survived by her daughters, Laura Giammarino of Wappingers Falls and Lynda O'Donoghue and her husband, Michael of Taylor, Texas; her grandchildren, Kelly Patterson, Ryan O'Donoghue, Carey O'Donoghue, Chelsey Giammarino and Kaitlyn Giammarino; her great-grandchildren, Bailey, Isabella, Charlotte and Danielle Patterson, and Evelyn Hazelwood; as well as several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her sisters, Ethel Gillespie and Marie Deppoliti, and three nephews, James and Bruce Deppoliti and William P. Gillespie. Family will receive friends on Tuesday, March 18, 2014 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Straub, Catalano & Halvey Funeral Home, 55 East Main Street, Wappingers Falls, NY 12590. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 19 at the funeral home. Entombment will take place following services at Fishkill Rural Cemetery, Route 9 in Fishkill. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Dorothy's name to the National PKU Alliance, PO Box 501, Tomahawk, WI 54487 or the National Downs Syndrome Society, 666 Broadway, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10012. For directions or to send the family a personal condolence, please visit our website at www.StraubCatalanoHalvey.com.