Barbara I. Persichilli Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Barbara Irene Persichilli, age 80, of Athens, NY, passed peacefully on May 14 after a brief illness. She is survived by her beloved husband of 58 years, Joseph (Joe), her children Karen and husband Michael, Kristina, Joseph, and Anthony, and her grandchildren, Jessica, Joseph, Max, and Natalie. She was predeceased by her brother John Misak and brothers-in-law Joseph Marino and Louis Persichilli. Survived also by her uncle Lt. Col. (ret.) Frank Maziarski, her sisters-in-law Carolyn Misak, Mary Marino, Margaret Tiso, Georgianne Persichilli, and brother-in-law Joseph Tiso as well as many cousins, nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews. Barbara was born on August 29, 1941, in Queens, NY, and raised in Jamaica, NY. After attending Bishop McDonnell High School, Barbara received a full scholarship to nursing school. She received her degree as a Registered Nurse specializing in mental health and substance abuse treatment; she worked at Freeport Hospital and Allen Residential Center in South Kortright. Barbara and Joe met as teenagers in the local neighborhood. One of their storied first dates was to Coney Island, which included a ride on the Parachute Jump. They married in 1963 and moved to Baldwin, NY, where they raised their children and were active in the local community. Barbara was involved in the Steele School PTA and could often be found ferrying her children to baseball and soccer games, dancing lessons, swimming classes, etc. She was also active at St. Christopher’s Church; for many years, she taught religious instruction and assisted with the parish’s annual Feast, and an active member of the Rosary Altar Society. Barbara and Joe moved to the Hudson Valley in 1988 after he retired from the NYPD and built their dream home in Stamford, NY, a log cabin with amazing mountain views. They later moved to Athens, NY. Barbara loved the NY Mets, birding, and gardening and was always willing to stop for a garage sale or a thrift store, especially for a good deal. She was a fierce Scrabble player who was nearly impossible to beat. Nothing gratified her more than becoming a Babci (Polish for grandmother), and her grandchildren were the light of her life. She loved cooking their favorite meals, doing their laundry (she pleaded with them to bring dirty clothes when they visited), and sending them large care packages whose postage usually was more than the value of its contents. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider a donation to the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Calling hours will be on Thursday, May 19, from 4- 7 p.m. at the Sacco Funeral Home, 700 Town Hall Drive, Hudson, NY. A mass of Christian Burial will be held at Holy Trinity Parish, 429 E. Allen Street, Hudson, NY, on Friday, May 20, at 11 a.m.

Barbara I. Persichilli

August 29, 1941 - May 14, 2022