Obituary of Maryann L. Platania

Maryann Platania died July 13, 2024 at the age of 80 with family by her side.  She is survived by her husband and best friend of 56 years, Joe; children Joseph (Christina) and Bridget (Christopher Ross); grandchildren Avery and Lucia Platania and Quinn Ross; brother John Lavelle; and special cousin Elizabeth Deyermond.  She was a devoted daughter to her parents Harry and Elizabeth Lavelle.

Maryann was a beloved wife and mother, adoring grandmother, and friend with a gift for listening and advising without judgement.  She generously opened her home to guests, touched many with her handwritten notes and homemade treats, and invested fully in her friendships and community. An avid conversationalist and a voracious reader with a thirst for knowledge, she often posed insightful questions and enjoyed a rousing discussion about politics and current events.  She also had a playful side, especially with her grandchildren, that included water activities and cousin birthday parties at the river house, impromptu games of hide and seek, and marathon matches of Uno and Old Maid. Whatever the activity, her laughter and smile always elicited the same from others.

Maryann graduated from St. Joseph’s School of Nursing in Syracuse. During her career as a registered nurse, she cared for patients at the bedside and later taught students at the Isabella Graham Hart School of Practical Nursing in Rochester.  She then became an estate paralegal and utilized her knowledge, compassion, and sensitivity to counsel families following the loss of a loved one.

A woman of Catholic faith, Maryann’s outlook on life and her role in the world reflected the teachings of St. Francis of Assisi: “While we have time, let us do good.” Many in the community will remember Maryann for her volunteer work alongside her colleagues at the Shepherd Home, a comfort care home in Penfield for the terminally ill.  There, she tended to the residents and their families with her customary compassion, devotion, and kindness.

Maryann and her family would like to acknowledge the compassionate and skilled team of caregivers at Strong Memorial Hospital’s Palliative Care Unit.  The staff exhibited exceptional professionalism and remarkable warmth during her brief hospitalization.

There will be no calling hours.  A Mass in celebration of Maryann’s life will be held on Saturday July 27^th, 11:30am at St. Joseph’s Church in Penfield.  Kindly consider a donation to the Shepherd Home in her memory (https://www.shepherdhome.org/memorial-donation/ ).