Elvada M. Torsiello

Miss Elvada M. Torsiello died peacefully on Friday, March 7, 2014 at Mountain Valley Hospice following a brief illness. She was 96. A lifelong area resident, she was born in Amsterdam to Matthew and Marianna Del Vecchio Torsiello. Elvada was educated in the Amsterdam Public School System, a graduate of the former Wilbur H. Lynch High School Class of 1934. She graduated from the College of St. Rose in 1938 and received her Master's Degree from the State University of New York at Albany. Upon her completion of her college degrees she worked as a night school teacher at the East Main Street School and in the daytime at the Mohawk Carpet Research Laboratory as a Biochemist. Elvada taught Chemistry for almost a year the College of St. Rose after graduation. She then worked at General Electric in the turbine division for several years then back to the Montgomery County Laboratory and worked as a Biochemist until 1949. Miss Torsiello held a position at the former St. Clare's Hospital in Schenectady as Chief of the Laboratory and worked in that position from 1949-1960. In February of 1960 she was assigned to the Research Laboratory as a Biochemist at the Samuel Stratton VA Medical Center in Albany until her retirement in 1980. Alvada also was active during her career and following retirement in several associations which included; American Society of Clinical Pathology for Technologists, American Association of Blood Banks, The National Registry in Clinical Chemistry, The National Association of Retired Federal Employees and Chapter 141 of the NARFE and The Amsterdam Chapter of the College of St. Rose Alumni. She was also a Charter Member of the St. Mary's Seniors. She was predeceased by her three brothers, Peter, Anthony and Benjamin Torsiello; her two sisters, Rose Johnson and Camila Ciccarino. Survivors include one nephew, David W. Johnson and his wife Priscilla of Poughkeepsie, NY; one great nephew, David Johnson and his wife Susan; and one great niece, Barbara Anne Saikia and her husband Pranjal; and other cousins. A Prayer Service will be offered on Monday, March 10, 2014 at 10:30a.m. at the Betz, Rossi & Bellinger Family Funeral Home, 171 Guy Park Avenue, Amsterdam following by the Mass of Christian Burial at 11:15a.m. at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church with the Rev. Pascal Iannotti as celebrant. Burial will follow in St. Mary's Cemetery, Fort Johnson. A calling period will be held Monday morning from 9a.m. until 10:30a.m. at the funeral home. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Montgomery County Office for the Aging, 135 Guy Park Avenue, Amsterdam, NY 12010 or to Mountain Valley Hospice, 108 Steele Avenue, Gloversville, NY 12078. Please visit the online guestbook at www.brbsfuneral.com