Marie Papandrea

God called Marie home Friday, November 11th 2022, after 95 wonderful years spent loving the life she was given and granted her the peace she spent her life earning in his eternal kingdom. With a lifeforce that often felt immortal to onlookers, it was the gift of but a brief illness that brought her home to all her beloved family and friends that have been waiting to embrace her for such a long time. Let us rejoice for Marie, who dreamed of freedom and her peace came as angels welcomed her in.

The first-born daughter of her proud parents Antonette (Ghetti) and Pasqual Ianntuono, Marie Barbara Ianntuono spent her early years having what she often called a lovely childhood with her younger, devoted sister Norma in South Troy. The family later moved to Cohoes and there they were surrounded by many aunts, uncles and cousins who spent countless dinners seated around her mother's storied kitchen table enjoying delicious home cooked Italian meals.

Marie was a proud alumnus of Catholic High and later went on to obtain her RN from St. Peter's School of Nursing. As a nurse Marie most enjoyed her time spent in the Operating Room and Labor & Delivery at Cohoes Hospital, having retired after her final posting at Albany County Nursing Home. Nursing was a profession second and a life's calling first for Marie who used her unending compassion and need to care for others to both bring life into this world and save it from an untimely end. She was also known by her grandchildren for her soft touch and perfect band aid placement for the occasional cut and bruise in her retirement. She was forever committed to caring for and about those around her, the very definition of a true nurse.

Marie was the loving matriarch of a large, blended family from which she drew great purpose. She is predeceased by her adoring husband and self-reported true love, Dominick Anthony Papandrea, M.D with whom she spent 34 marvelous years. She is survived by her grieving children Patricia Spain, Dominick (Ellen) Brignola, and Christopher (Angelina) Brignola as well as her step children for whom she loved as if they were her own, Virginia Papandrea, Mary Ellen Papandrea, Anthony (Karen) Papandrea, John Papandrea M.D (Kate), Daniel (Rita) Papandrea, Dorothy Welch and James (Andrea) Papandrea. Marie also leaves behind her devoted niece Ann Marie (John) Gamache, as well as her niece Kathleen Weismore, as well as her sole surviving cousin Ethel Abdelnour. She was predeceased by her sister and lifelong confidant, Norma Boyer.

What was possibly Marie's most precious possession in life was her grandchildren whom she loved without reservation. Her house was always equipped with freshly made cookies and a basket of special candy in anticipation of a visit from one of them, as well as a crisp five-dollar bill to stuff in their back pocket just because. Marie leaves behind Jennifer Spain, Robert (Jamie) Spain, Katie (Don) Bonesteel, Christian (Megan) Brignola, Dominic Brignola, Michelle & Matthew Papandrea, Danielle Romero, Christopher Brignola, Justin Brignola, Lauren Ellsworth, and Luke Brignola. Marie was also blessed in the twilight of her life to share her home with her beloved great grandchildren Aurora, Grant and Juliette Bonesteel along with her granddaughter Katie (Don) who were so blessed to know the warmth of her snuggle and force of her unwavering altruism.

Marie's needs were uncomplicated and her secret to a long and happy life was something she considered simple. She ran on olive oil and good garlic, the company and support of family and friends who thought of her and for her as she would them, and several cups of piping hot black coffee a day. In her prime, she loved gardening, walking, going to church, hosting countless family gatherings where her only aim was for you to enjoy her food and her company, reading murder mysteries, and watching all her favorite movies from yesteryear on TCM. Marie also enjoyed many happy years with her special friends, the "mall walkers" that walked with her until she was unable to go up and down the lengths of Colonie Center every week. She loved these late in life friends and their comradery brought her many extra years with us, I'm sure of it.

A very special thank you to Marie's care-giver Kate Bidot for her compassionate companionship of our beautiful Marie, she loved you and your family, and we could never repay you for the kindness and care you showed her. An additional thanks to those wonderful nurses and CNAs at St. Peters Nursing & Rehab for their compassionate care of Marie in her final months with us when we were no longer able to care for her at home.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend calling hours Thursday, November 17th from 4pm-7pm at New Comer Cremations & Funerals on 343 New Karner Rd., Colonie. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, November 18th at 9:30am at the Church of St. Clare on Central Avenue in Colonie followed by burial at Memory Gardens, Colonie. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Marie's honor to the American Diabetes Association.