Obituary of Ellen Cascardi

Ellen Federico Cascardi, 97, longtime resident of Lawrence, NY, passed into eternal life on December 31, 2024. She was born in Inwood New York, the third child of Cono and Filomena Federico, on March 21, 1927. She was the devoted wife of Anthony J. Cascardi, Sr., who predeceased her in 2020. She was the cherished mother of Anthony J. Cascardi, Jr. (Jennifer Howard) and Andrea Maher (John Maher, Jr). She was Grandma Ella to her adored grandchildren Matthew Cascardi (Leslie), Elisa Cascardi, John Maher III, Stephen Maher, and Alexander Maher. She was the great-grandmother to Sidney and Gabriel Cascardi, the loving sister to Thomas Federico and Rose Pollera, who predeceased her, and the beloved aunt to many nieces and nephews. After attending Lawrence High School she was the first in her family to attend college, graduating from NYU and receiving her Master’s in Education from Columbia University. During college, Ellen met Anthony Cascardi, to whom she was married for 68 years. Destined to be a teacher, she first spent many years raising her family and volunteering as a Spanish teacher at St. Joachim’s School in Cedarhurst where here children attended. When she resumed her career, she received a second MA (in Italian, from Queens College), and taught Italian at Hewlett High School, where she also spearheaded a vibrant exchange program with a school in Florence, Italy, which forged lifelong friendships. Ellen was an active member of the St. Joachim Parish community, where she sang in the choir, and was involved in the Chaminade Alumni Parents Association and the Our Lady of Good Counsel Choir. She will be greatly missed by her family, friends, neighbors, and members of Sun and Surf Beach Club which she enjoyed for more than 60 summers.