Leona Maritato, a lifelong resident of Walton, passed away on Sept. 19, 2024.
She had resided at Mountainside Residential Care Center in Margaretville since 2016. She celebrated her 100th birthday on Sept. 29, 2023.
Leona was the youngest daughter of Fred and Mary (Dagnell) Maritato. She and her brother, Eugene, occupied the family home until moving to residential care. They were regulars at McDonald’s for coffee and at TA’s.
Leona was known by many for her years of working as bookkeeper and at the counter of the Agway Feed Store, formerly the GLF, on West Street in Walton. Many years prior she had a clerical stint at the Walton Reporter and as a switchboard operator at the Walton telephone company.
In her younger years, she was an avid bowler on a team that played at the Walton Bowling Lanes. Later she was a fixture at local bingo games. She loved card games, including War, Scat and Canasta, and jigsaw and word puzzles. And she never turned down a good Manhattan.
Leona was preceded in death by her brothers Joseph and Eugene and sister Rosalie.
She is survived by the children of Joseph and Rosalie: Cynthia Maritato Shick and Anne Siegreen, Yarmouth, Massachusetts; Pamela and Mark Derr, Camden, South Carolina; Michael Barnhart (deceased) Unadilla and Sidney; Paul Jr., and Joann Barnhart, Maryland; Martha and Lawrence Wesner, Sidney; Peter and Susan Barnhart, Unadilla; Nancy and Loren Youngs, Bainbridge; Victoria and Joseph Schlafer, Unadilla; Kathy and David Heath, Mt. Upton; and Amy and Lee Barnhart, Sidney and their families of grand- and great-grand nephews and nieces.
In addition, the family is most appreciative of friends who became family over the years. Affectionate thanks are extended to Matthew King and Sally Cranston of Walton for continuing to visit and help, especially in recent years.
Funeral mass will be held Friday, Oct. 18 at 11 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Church, 25 Benton Ave, Walton.
Following the funeral mass burial will be at the Walton Cemetery, 55 Fancher Ave, Walton, with Rev. Father Edward Golding officiating.
Arrangements are with Courtney Funeral Home, 25 Townsend Street, Walton. Expressions of sympathy may be made online at www.courtneyfh.com
