Lena (Alcaras) Caltabiano

Lena (Alcaras) Caltabiano, of Fulton, NY passed away peacefully and surrounded by her loving family, on August 1, 2020 at Upstate Community Hospital, Syracuse, NY, four days shy of her 90th birthday.
Lena’s life story is one of family, faith, hard-work and food. Her father, Emanuele “Pietro” Alcaras, came to America prior to the start of WWII to find work and became a US citizen in 1938. As a young girl during the war, Lena’s family endured the Allied bombing and invasions near their beautiful southern Sicilian coastal town of Pozzallo. In 1946, at the age of 16, Lena left Pozzallo with her mother, Carmela (Belluardo) Alcaras and her youngest sister Maria and came to America through Ellis Island where they were held for days due to medical concerns. They eventually joined Lena’s father and oldest sister Grace (Alcaras) Barrera in Middlebury, Vermont. Months later, the family moved to Central New York where Lena soon met Antonio “Tony” Caltabiano who was working with her father on a local muck farm. Lena and Tony married in 1948 and Lena became a US citizen in 1950.
Tony and Lena started their own farm operation which eventually grew to 80 acres of muck vegetables, with the major crops of lettuce and onions grown for the wholesale markets of New York, Boston and Philadelphia. When competition from California in the 1970’s led to loss of the locally grown wholesale lettuce markets in the major urban centers of the northeast, they adapted their business to more localized distribution and retail markets. Eventually, the Syracuse Regional Market and the Downtown Syracuse, Camillus, Oswego and Fulton farmers markets became the main outlets for their produce. Tony stayed on the farm and worked the fields while Lena, their children, and later their grandchildren, worked the farmers markets. Lena was an icon at the markets where the family was known for growing and selling over 20 different fresh vegetables. She had a steady group of loyal customers and could often be overheard providing them her unique food preparation and mealtime tips. Lena continued setting up shop at the farmer’s markets well into her 80’s.
Together, Lena, completing only third grade in her native Italy and Tony attending a one-room school through just eighth grade, instilled the values of family, faith and education in their children, with all six completing their college degrees. The family was active in the Church of the Immaculate Conception where Lena was a member of the Catholic Daughters of America and Tony was in the Knights of Columbus. Among the favorite leisure activities were pinochle club with the ladies and Saturday night couple’s pinochle marathons. Above all, family and food were the major sources enjoyment and the center of most activities. Large gatherings at the family’s home for holidays, Baptisms, birthdays, Confirmations, graduations, weddings, and funerals were the norm. Even as the children grew older and had families of their own, the Sunday dinner table was always set for at least ten people. If one of the local children or grandchildren didn’t show up, “Nana” would pick up the phone and place that “what’s-a-matter, aren’t you gonna stop by and have something to eat” phone call. Very few visitors to the Caltabiano home ever left without enjoying some friendly and animated conversation complemented with some of Lena’s pasta, meatballs, salad and famous cutlets, or, some other ‘justa-little-something” meal that she whipped up at a moment’s notice. Lena’s hard work, cooking and care of family is done here on earth. Heaven help the waistlines up there!
Lena was predeceased by her beloved husband of 45 years, Anthony V. Caltabiano. She was the mother of Angelo (Maddalena) of Clay, Joanne (Joseph) Malone of Phoenix, Anita (William) Waring of Franklinton, NC, Anthony M. of Phoenix, John (Molly) of Wilbraham, MA and Mark (Lisa) of Phoenix.
Lena was “Nana” and “Grandma” to Robert (Julie), Patrick and Nicholas Caltabiano, Steven (Caroline) and Evan Malone, Andrea (Ben) Bradley, Danielle Youmans, Richard (Britanee) Burritt, Major Anthony D. Caltabiano (USAF), Kristina and Sean Caltabiano, Sarah, Luke, Grace and Rose Caltabiano, Christopher, Elisabeth, Matthew and Hannah Caltabiano.
She was great-grandmother of Gianna, Sophia and Dominic Caltabiano, Alexander, Aidan, and Maddox Malone, Emily and Grayson Bradley, Jacob and Liam Youmans, Brogan and Crew Burritt.
Lena was a sister of Mary Civello (Michael) of Clay and the late Grace Barrera, Vincenzo Alcaras and Anita Arezzo and was a sister-in-law of Theresa Caltabiano of Fulton. She was an aunt and “Zia” to many cherished nieces and nephews in Central New York and Pozzallo, Sicily.
In her last two years, Lena was a resident of Keepsake Village at Greenpoint Memory Care. The family would like to thank all the staff who took such good care of their mom as she battled through Alzheimer’s. The family would also like to thank the staff, particularly the nurses, palliative care NPs and doctors of the Upstate Community Hospital Covid-19 Care unit, that cared for Lena after she was admitted to the hospital in early July. While their work was very challenging, they treated Lena with compassion and dignity, and helped her family stay connected with her through to her passing.
Calling hours will be Thursday August 6, 4-6 PM at Sugar Funeral Home, 224 W 2nd St. Fulton, NY 13069. The Funeral mass will be Friday August 7, 9:30 AM at Holy Trinity Church, 309 Buffalo St, Fulton, NY 13069, with Father Joseph Scardella presiding. The Funeral Mass will be live-streamed via Holy Trinity’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/HolyTrinityFulton/. A private burial will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Holy Trinity Parish, 309 Buffalo St, Fulton, NY 13069, The Upstate Foundation, Inc. Virtual Visitation Fund #47985 for Upstate Community Hospital or Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital (both online at upstatefoundation.org or mail: 750 E Adams St. CAB326, Syracuse, NY 13210), and Alzheimer’s Association of Central, NY (online at act.alz.org or mail: 441 W Kirkpatrick St, Syracuse, NY 13204).
Please be aware that facial masks and hand sanitizing are required for calling hours and the Funeral Mass. Do to NYS mandated capacity requirements visitors will be invited in as people exit.