Lucia Benaquisto

Lucia Benaquisto passed away in Plattsburgh, New York on Thursday, June 23, 2016, after an 11-year struggle with cancer. Lucia was born to Jessie and Cresanzo Benaquisto on July 5, 1953, and grew up in the Bellevue district of Schenectady. She graduated from Mont Pleasant High School in 1971. In 1976, after employment as a secretary with the state of New York, Lucia enrolled in the University at Albany SUNY, where she graduated summa cum laude in 1980. She then began graduate study in sociology at Harvard University, receiving a PhD there in 1991. Lucia's future husband, Steven Rytina, joined her in Cambridge when he was appointed to the sociology department at Harvard. Steven and Lucia married in 1989 in Guilderland, New York. Shortly afterward, the couple moved to Montreal, where both were professors in the sociology department at McGill University. Lucia's professional successes included winning multiple grants, publishing articles, and co-authorship of the most successful Canadian text in sociological research methods. She was popular as a teacher of large lectures, and her smaller seminars were almost always over-subscribed. She was particularly gifted at mentoring students, directing more than 40 thesis projects. What drew students to Lucia was her capacity to inspire, to motivate, to laugh, and to communicate joy. She was a great teacher, with a radiant personality and a gift for putting people at ease. Eleven years ago, Lucia received her first diagnosis of cancer. With her characteristic verve, she quickly enlisted an excellent team of caregivers at Montreal General Hospital. Bouncing back from her first rounds of treatments, she resumed her teaching duties. However, the cancer returned. Putting her research skills to work, Lucia located a team at Memorial Sloan Kettering with experience devising strategies for her relatively rare tumors. One byproduct of Lucia's treatment was a change in the protocols at Montreal General for her condition. However, the tumors were only abated for a time rather than stopped. Lucia then found, in a paper online but not yet in print, that European scientists had discovered a chemical that had proved highly effective for her specific condition. The drug was not yet certified in the US, but Lucia located a trial at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in Newark, where she was able to receive the chemotherapy. However, this required her to return every three weeks and then endure flu-like symptoms for several days. Following her example, the oncology group at Montreal General pursued and obtained authorization to use the drug in Canada, which dramatically shortened her trips for treatment. In all, she underwent more than 80 rounds of chemotherapy. In spite of these ordeals, Lucia remained a delight to be around. She was funny, and quick to laugh, always thinking of others first. Lucia is survived by her sister and brother-in-law Christine and Bill Dooley, sister Patrice Hiller, by nieces Nicole Audino, Danielle Hiller and Ariana Hiller,step-grand-daughters Caroline Brooks and Jennifer Menjak, and 2 step-grandchildren. She was pre-deceased by brother-in-law George Hiller. She will be sorely missed by family, friends, and colleagues who knew and loved her. She will be a great loss to all those who had the luck to be part of her world. Lucia was a wonder. If to know her was to love her, to know her well was to experience a gift beyond compare. A memorial gathering will be held at DeMarco Stone Funeral Home 5216 Western Turnpike, Guilderland, NY 12084 on Thursday, June 30, 2016 beginning at 3 with service to begin at 4:15. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that any who wish should make a donation in Lucia's memory to the American Cancer Society, 1 Penny Lane, Latham NY 12110. Local arrangements are by RJ DeLuccia Funeral Service.