Marie E. Ranalli

Marie E. Ranalli, age 94, passed peacefully on Sunday, December 28, 2025,  at the Schenectady Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing. Blessed with a happy childhood in a loving Italian home, she was the daughter of the late Arthur S. and Julia (Spina) Pasquariello. Her mother had seven siblings and her father, five. With such a large extended family, holidays, birthdays, and other events were commonplace, and they brought everyone together for good food, a little homemade wine from Grandpa and, most importantly, warmth and laughter. Marie often spoke of those wonderful times. Many of the relationships with those relatives developed into trusted friendships that lasted throughout her lifetime.

Marie graduated from Draper High School. In the early years she worked at the General Electric Company in Schenectady as a secretary. After staying home for years to raise her children, she worked part-time at the Syracuse Supply Company in Guilderland as a receptionist.

She met Leo “Lindy” Ranalli in her teen years and a special bond was created between them that never faded, not even a little. They were married at Our Lady of Assumption Church in Rotterdam in 1954 and went on to enjoy 60 years of marriage. They were united in their love for each other and in unending pride of their Italian upbringing and culture. If you were Italian, “you couldn’t be all that bad.”

Marie created a warm, loving, and supportive home for her husband and their children, Cheryl and Bobby. She was a great cook and master in the kitchen. Her homemade pasta, meatballs, and tomato sauce were simply the best.

Marie and Lindy enjoyed many travel adventures together, in their earlier years with their travel trailer and visits to Cocoa Beach, Florida in their senior years. They especially enjoyed weekly trips to the casino where she said once she passed through the casino doors “all her pains disappeared.”

Her later years at the Schenectady Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing were clouded with dementia, and while recognition of family and friends was limited during that time, her memories of the “good times” remained strong.

The family would like to express their sincere thanks to the staff at the Schenectady Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing, especially Kamla Bissesar and Deborah Mutema (Optum Healthcare) who took special care of Marie.

Marie is survived by her daughter, Cheryl (Arnold “Speedy”) Niedhammer, their two sons Eric and Jim, and great- grandson, Carter; her daughter in law, Donna Ranalli, her two children, Nicholas (Allison) and Kristina and great-granddaughter, Giavanna. She is also survived by her brother, Arthur A. Pasquariello (Lidia), with whom she shared a very close bond, and niece, Julie (Chad) McCullough and great-nephew/niece, Charlie and Abby. She was predeceased by her parents, her husband, Lindy, and her beloved son, Bob Ranalli, who cared and watched over her unselfishly until his passing in 2023.

Funeral services will be private. She will be laid to rest next to her husband, at Saints Cyril and Method Cemetery in Rotterdam.