Father Achilles Cassieri
Father Achilles Cassieri, 90, died Jan. 19, 2017, at St. Lawrence Infirmary in Beacon.
Fr. Achilles was born in New York City on Dec. 28, 1926, the son of Joseph and Loretta (Sciarra) Cassieri. He was the last living of his siblings, which included five sisters and a brother. He made his first Profession of Vows on July 29, 1945 at St. Lawrence Friary and was ordained on May 14, 1952 at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Richmond, Virginia.
Fr. Achilles served as teacher and director of students at schools in New York, Virginia and New Jersey. His final assignment was as guardian of St. Lawrence Friary prior to entering the Infirmary.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held Jan. 25 at St. Lawrence Friary, with burial in the friary cemetery.
Henry (Stretch) Jacobs (1929-2017)
Henry (Stretch) Jacobs, 87, of Croton-on-Hudson, died at home on Jan. 26, 2017, surrounded by his family on January 26th. Among his survivors is a daughter, Mai, and her husband David, of Beacon.
Both in Brooklyn on Aug. 12, 1929, Stretch was known asa master storyteller. An Army veteran, he graduated from Brooklyn College. Stretch was a freelance stenographer and eventually started his own court reporting service, Henry Jacobs Associates in New York City.
Besides his daughter, Stretch is survived by his wife of 63 years, Judy Jacobs, and by his sons Larry Jacobs (Julie,) of St. Paul Minnesota and Paul Jacobs (Jennifer) of Amherst, Massachusetts. He is also survived by six grandchildren.
A memorial will be held at a future date. Memorial donations may be made in Henry Jacobs’ name to the Center for Constitutional Rights (ccrjustice.org/donate).
Rose M. Pietrogallo, 87, a longtime resident of Beacon, died Jan. 27, 2017, at Elant at Fishkill.
Rose was born in Southington, Connecticut on Aug. 6, 1929, the daughter of Pasquale and Lena (Gioa) Palmieri. On June 14, 1953 at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Poughkeepsie, Rose married Michael L. Pietrogallo. He died in 2015.
Rose was a member of the Third Order of St. Francis and the Gadabouts. She also was an avid New York Yankees and Hudson Valley Renegades fan.
She is survived by her children, Lou Pietrogallo (Vicki) of Plattekill, Marie Leger (Ray) of Mount Kisco and Tom Pietrogallo (Gayle) of Northford, Connecticut; her grandchildren, Thomas, Julia and Olivia Pietrogallo, Todd Caswell (Emily), Blair Caswell, Kara Evans (Rob) and Kaylan Pietrogallo; her great-grandchildren, Jettie Evans and Hunter Caswell; and her brother, Pasquale Palmieri (Patricia) of Emerald Isle, North Carolina.
The family will receive their friends on Tuesday, Jan. 31 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Halvey Funeral Home, 24 Willow St., in Beacon. A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 1 at 10 a.m. at the funeral home, with entombment to follow at the Community Mausoleum at Fishkill Rural Cemetery. The family would like to thank the staff of Elant at Fishkill for the care and attention given to both Rose and Michael.
Ida Spola (1933-2017)
Ida Spola, 83, a Fishkill resident since 1968, died on Jan. 26, 2017 at Vassar Brothers Medical Center surrounded by her family. She previously lived in Manhattan and North Bergen, New Jersey.
Born on Aug. 9, 1933 in New York City, she was the daughter of Flaminio and Isolina Bianchetto. She had been employed as a stenographer for Warner Brothers in New York City until 1956. Later in life, she worked at Viscount Liquors in Wappingers Falls.
Affectionately called Nonnie, she was a devoted Catholic who attended mass at St. Joachim Church in Beacon and previously at St. Columba Church in Hopewell Junction. She had been a Girl Scout leader, and enjoyed cooking, sewing, gardening, and doing embroidery. Most of all, she loved spending time with her family.
On May 1, 1955 at St. Columba Church in New York City, Ida married Frank Spola who survives at home. She is also survived by her daughter, Donna Snowden of Glenham; her son, Rick Spola (Michelle) of Glenham; and three grandchildren.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered Jan. 30 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Joachim Church in Beacon. Donations may be made to Sparrow’s Nest or the Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps.
