Obituary of Elizabeth Lauro

November 9, 1925 – February 25, 2019

The first living child of Ralph and Marian Lauro, Elizabeth, known as Betty to her family, was born in Brooklyn New York just before the dawn of the Great Depression, followed soon by her brother Ralph. During the Depression and World War II, Betty and Ralph’s parents worked hard at their linoleum store eventually giving both their children a college education, a true accomplishment in those years.

Elizabeth graduated from St Rose College in Albany NY with a degree in education. She began teaching at a Catholic school, but soon moved to the Uniondale School District. Known as Liz to her colleagues, and Miss Lauro to her pupils, she taught generations of first, second and third grade children, often teaching the children of her former students towards the end of her career.

After her retirement in 1991, she enjoyed spending time with old friends and new, and, of course her family. She loved travelling to Italy with her cousins Ursula and Vera, and attending the opera and ballet with her cousin Rosanna. In her later years, she spent most of her time with her cousins Theresa and Amy (who preceded Betty in death just as Betty’s final illness was diagnosed.)

Betty always cared more for others than herself. She was the primary caregiver for her father for the eighteen years he lived after suffering a stroke, preparing him for the day before starting her long commute to put in a full day’s work, then coming home to care for him at night. When her cousin Phil died suddenly, leaving his wife Amy with two small children, she did all the household tasks that required driving until Amy learned to drive and bought a car.  When her sister-in-law Nancy was diagnosed with cancer, she traveled to Pittsburgh almost every weekend and all of the summers to care for her brother and his family during Nancy’s illness. She did all she could to support her cousin Aida through her husband Chappie’s long illness and as she herself aged.  Throughout her long life, whenever someone Betty loved was in need, she would do everything she could to ease their burden. The hardest lesson she had to learn at the end of her life was to accept the love and support of family and friends herself.

She is survived by her niece, Maria Lauro, grandnephew Leo Lauro Sweeney, and her cousins Theresa Bova Brancatelli and Joseph Martini. She was the beloved Aunt Betty to her numerous godchildren and the children of her many cousins and friends. Her influence will be felt by countless people for many years to come.