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Joan Petrella
Joan Petrella of Remsenburg died peacefully on August 17. She was 69.
She was the daughter of the late Dominic and Anne Petrella of Oyster Bay.
A graduate of Stony Brook University (BA, MLS), she was widely known for her mesmerizing soprano voice. She concertized throughout the United States and in Italy, where she studied opera and taught English for several years.
She was a dedicated teacher of general music and ESL in the Eastport South Manor, Shoreham-Wading River and Hampton Bays school districts, and also taught voice and piano privately.
A highly creative person, her other interests included cabaret singing, writing, drawing, knitting, and jewelry-making. She had a kind, warm, generous nature and a keen sense of humor, her family said. She adored children, animals, opera, and all that is music.
She is survived by her sister and brother-in-law, Anita and Richard Vultaggio, and their children, Lorraine and Richard L. (also a godchild); cousins, James and Barbara Reams, and their children, Christopher and Lauren; aunt, Doris Petrella; godchildren, Emanuel Abate and Tess Rubsamen; many cousins from the Abbate, Abate, and Petrella families; and numerous friends. She also leaves behind her beloved dog, Cabeza.
A funeral Mass will be held on Thursday, August 29, at 10:30 a.m., at St. Dominic Roman Catholic Church in Oyster Bay, followed by interment at Holy Rood Cemetery in Westbury.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association (act.alz.org), Autism Speaks (autismspeaks.org), or East End Arts in Riverhead (eastendarts.org).
Staff Writer on Aug 22, 2024