Obituary of Theodore J. Turone

Theodore (Ted) J. Turone, 90, much loved by his family and friends, passed away peacefully on December 29, 2017, at Our Lady of Mercy Life Center in Guilderland, NY.

Ted was born in North Tonawanda, NY, the son of the late Salvatore and Catharine Turone. He graduated early at age 17 from North Tonawanda High School to enlist in the U.S. Navy in WWII. While serving, he was a member of the U.S. Navy Band, where he began his lifelong appreciation of big band music and jazz. Upon his return from WWII, Ted completed a B.S. in Elementary Education and later completed a M.S. in Reading Education. His first teaching job was in Cleveland, OH. He subsequently taught in the Niagara Falls City Schools, NY, for several years. It is there that he met his wife, the former Marie Giambrone, a fellow teacher, and they were married in January 1954. They resided in North Tonawanda raising a growing family. In the early 1960s, the family moved to Putnam Valley, NY, where Ted was a reading specialist and an adult education administrator. He was recruited in 1966 to work for the New York State Education Department of Continuing Education in Albany, NY. He was an innovator and leader in the field of adult basic education and high school equivalency nationwide.

In the early 1970s, Ted became an avid runner. He encouraged many others to join him and became a member of the Hudson-Mohawk Road Runners Club, gracing its publication’s cover, The Pace Setter, more than once. He ran daily, participated in many local races, completed marathons, and continued running well into his 70s, when he was often accompanied by his grandchildren. While living in Guilderland, Ted and Marie were active members of the Italian American Community Center. Ted served as a lectern for St. Madeline Sophie Catholic Church. After he retired, Ted and Marie moved to Clifton Park.

Above all else, Ted valued, loved and cherished his wife and family. He leaves behind his devoted, adoring wife of 64 years, Marie Turone of Clifton Park; loving children, Kathryn Schechtman-Aikey (Michael Aikey) of Voorheesville, NY; David Turone (John Peek) of Coeymans Hollow, NY; Joann (Richard) Tomaszewski of Atlanta, GA; MaryAnn (Brian) Benson of Clifton Park; his loving grandchildren Daniel (Christina) Schechtman of Carolina Beach, NC; Lara Schechtman of Boston, MA; Elizabeth Tomaszewski (Patrick Dixon) of Tubingen, Germany; Annamaria (Alexis) Colon-Ortiz of Newnon, GA; Andrew (Caitlin) Benson of Ballston Lake, NY; Christopher (Briana) Benson of Latham, NY; Erin Benson of Ballston Lake, NY; his loving great-grandchildren Owen and Isla Benson of Ballston Lake; as well as several cousins, nieces and nephews. Ted was predeceased by his sister, Mary (Leonard) DeRose of North Tonawanda, NY, and his brother, Frank (Pierina) Turone of Brampton, Canada.

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests that memorial contributions be made in Ted’s honor to either the Literacy New York Greater Capital Region, c/o Schenectady Library, 2^nd Floor, 99 Clinton Street, Schenectady, NY 12305, or the National Association of American Veterans, Attention Chief Executive Officer, PO Box 6865, Washington DC, 20020-0565.

Memorial Mass will be held on Wednesday May 9, 2018 at 12 noon at St. Edward the Confessor Church 569 Clifton Park Center Road, Clifton Park. Burial will follow with Military Honors in the Gerald B. H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery, 200 Duell Road Schuylerville, New York 12871.