Harriet A. Putnam Lucariello, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and aunt, 98 years old, died Tuesday morning, in her home at 4818 Route 430 Bemus Point, N.Y. She was the daughter of Leigh W. and Ruth Raynor Putnam, and was born Jan. 12, 1915, in Mayville, N.Y. Harriet was married to Mauro Lucariello, a well known local businessman for more than 60 years until he died in December of 1993.
They had six children, one of whom, Stephen Andrew, died at the age of 57 in 2000. A year later her great-granddaughter, Christa Hearburg died at the age of 22. She is survived by the remaining children, 19 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
Her surviving children are Maureen Berner (Wilbur) of Greenhurst, Sylvia Fiorello (Richard) of Jamestown and Sam, Michael and Pat Lucariello, all of Bemus Point.
Harriet A. Putnam Lucariello
Harriet A. Putnam Lucariello
Her grandchildren are Dana O'Donnell (Danny) of New Jersey, Sheryl Purpura (Jerry) of Ocala, Fla., Todd Hearburg of Falconer, N.Y., Jarrod Hearburg of Busti, N.Y., Cindy McGlone (Patrick) of Gaithersburg, Md., Steve Lucariello (Barb) of Sherman, Sandy Hogue (Bob) of Dayton, Md., Pat Lucariello Jr. (Kolleen) of Parish, N.Y., Kathy Hobson (Jack) of Cambridge Springs, Pa., and Karin Shearer (Randy) of Ashville, N.Y. Also Michael Lucariello (Cindy) of Stella, Mo., Stephanie Crouch of Charlotte, N.C., Andrew Lucariello of Eureka Springs, Ark., Jason Fiorello of Ocala, Fla., Brian Fiorello of Ithaca, N.Y., Darren Lucariello of Virginia Beach, Va., Monica Lucariello of Rochester, N.Y., Daniel Lucariello of Irving, Calif., and Brandon Lucariello of Jamestown.
Harriet was a loving mother, grandmother and mentor to all her children, and enjoyed encouraging everyone to attain the highest goals they were capable of achieving. She was always supportive and non-judgmental in all her interactions with them. As a role model to her entire family, she portrayed and lived her life according to her principals of fairness, equality, and respect for others. She was an avid reader and frequented both the Bemus Point and Prendergast libraries. She was a constant visitor to the Bemus Library and was well-known by the local librarians.
Harriet graduated from Mayville High School in 1930 at the age of 15 having skipped several grades.
From there she went to Fredonia Normal School graduating in 1933 with a degree in elementary education. At the age of 18 she taught in a one-room schoolhouse at Elm Flats in the Peabody District for two years. This was followed by marriage and taking time to raise her large family.
Mrs. Lucariello became employed in 1954-58 as a caseworker for the Jamestown Department of Social Services. In 1959, she returned to elementary education after obtaining her bachelor's in education from the New York State University at Fredonia.
After teaching several years at Ellington Elementary, she became employed as a fourth grade teacher at Bemus Point Elementary School. She returned to college part-time at St. Bonaventure University earning a master's degree in guidance. In 1978, she retired after 20 years in education, which included 17 years as a fourth grade teacher at Bemus Point Elementary.
After retirement, she volunteered at the Gustavus Adolphus Learning Center and the Lutheran Home. This was followed by many, many years of enjoying her large family and traveling to visit various relatives. Throughout her life, she was known for her big Sunday dinners at the family home and her irresistible fruit pies.
Harriet was a remarkably strong woman who refused to let age define her. She drove her own car up to the age of 98 to Jamestown, Mayville and surrounding areas remaining staunchly independent. She enjoyed traveling and at the age of 86 refused to cancel a cross country plane trip following the 9-11-2001 terrorist attacks. She lived life fearlessly refusing to give in to age and infirmity. When she was reduced to using a cane in her mid-nineties she would walk quickly without the cane touching the ground most of the time. In January of this year following her 98th birthday, she and her son flew to Florida, against her doctor's advice, to visit her daughter and family in Ocala, Fla., knowing it would be her last trip. Everything she did, she did quietly without calling attention to herself, but she did it her way.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday in St. Mary of Lourdes Catholic Church, Bemus Point. The Rev. Todd Remick will be celebrant.
Burial will be in Bemus Point Cemetery.
Friends will be received from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. Friday in the Lind Funeral Home, where a Christian Wake Service will be led at 1:45 p.m.
Memorials in memory of her may be made to the Maple Springs Fire Department or the Bemus Point Library.
You may light a candle in remembrance of Harriet at www.lindfuneralhome.com.