Cathryn "Kay" (Salley) Pasquariello

Cathryn "Kay" Pasquariello, beloved mother and grandmother, passed away peacefully on March 22, at Kingsway Nursing Home with her family by her side, after a long and heartbreaking battle with Alzheimer's Disease. Born to Albert and Myrtle Salley on February 3, 1927, "Katie" as she was known then, was raised in Schuylerville, NY during the Great Depression and graduated from Schuylerville High School at the age of 16.Following graduation, Kay ventured off to the "big city" of Schenectady, finding employment at General Electric. It was in Schenectady that Kay met a handsome Army veteran named Ralph. They married in 1946, and with Kay as a homemaker, raised three children . Money was tight in the beginning on Kellar Avenue in Rotterdam, but through hard work and determination, they were able to build their family home on Currybush Road, providing their family with beautiful memories of large "picnics" on the patio with friends, summers by the pool and seemingly endless holiday, graduation and birthday celebrations filled with warmth, laughter and love. Kay was an extremely talented and capable woman, with a never-ending curiosity and love of learning. She enjoyed taking classes, whether they be in pharmacology, sign language or computers. Born from the necessity of the lean years, but later a labor of love, Kay was an expert seamstress. She masterfully created everything from draperies to wedding gowns with painstaking attention to detail, and in her "retirement" enjoyed working at several area bridalshops.Kay enjoyed knitting, crocheting, gardening and travel. She particularly loved her trips to Italy and Alaska. An excellent cook and baker, many were able to indulge in her delicious carrot cake and pies throughout the 40 years the Pasquariello family owned and operated Morrette's. Everything Kay did she did with tenacity and patience, "if you're going to do it, do it right" she would always say. After her children were grown, Kay began working at the medical practice of Dr. J.K. Cooley in Delanson. She loved working in the "country" doctor's office, in a time when small town doctors treated anything and everything. It was a perfect match for her outgoing personality, desire to help people and lifelong interest in medicine. In addition to her work at Dr. Cooley's, Kay was a Direct Care Volunteer for Hospice, providing comfort and companionship to patients in their homes. Above all else, Kay cherished her family. She and Ralph spent 67 married years together, and no matter if they were dancing cheek to cheek or trading barbs, the love they shared endured until Ralph's passing in 2013. She was a devoted Mom and "Gram", always there with home and arms open. Beside her husband, Kay was predeceased by her son, David in 2011, as well as her younger sister Mary and older brother Loren. Kay is survived by her loving daughters, Sandra Bielecki of Rotterdam, and Terri Caracciolo and her husband,Tony of Schenectady; her seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, Andrea Hemsworth, her husband, Robert (Bubba)and their twins, Cathryn and Samuel; Nicole Lazor, her husband, Bill and their children, Nolan, Marin and Charlotte; Micah Pasquariello; Christopher Bielecki, his wife, Latika Sharma and their daughter, Lillian; and Robert, Michael and Rachel Caracciolo. In addition, she is survived by a brother-in-law, Tony Pasquariello; a sister-in-law, Raffaela Pasquariello; and a number of nieces and nephews. The family will receive relatives and friends at DeMarco-Stone Funeral Home, 1605 Helderberg Ave., Rotterdam on Thursday, March 26, 2015 from 6 to 8pm. The funeral will commence at 11am on Friday, March 27th at the funeral home, with procession to follow at St. Cyril'sCemetery in Rotterdam. The family would like to extend a special thanks to the caring staff at Kingsway Manor Memory Care and the Kingsway Nursing Home, A wing, for their kindness and compassion. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Kay's name to the Alzheimer's Association at alz.org, in hopes that they may one day find a cure for this devastating disease.