Amalia Tornatore

Amalia Tornatore, 85, a resident of Kingston, NY for over 6 decades, passed away on May 22, 2023. She was born January 16, 1938, in Castiglione, Sicily, daughter of the late Giuseppe DiBella (“of the beautiful”) and Carmela (Stagnitta) DiBella. The DiBella family tree goes back over 700 years in Castiglione, where Amalia spent her childhood and received her education. Amalia met her future husband, Salvatore Tornatore in Castiglione and on February 15, 1958 they were married on a sunny day, with the wedding party processing through the small streets of their home town as people threw rice from the balconies. Amalia immigrated to the US with Salvatore where they opened Tornatore Cabinet Shop which they ran for over 5 decades. Amalia and Salvatore had 4 children, Carlo, Josephine, Maria and Gabriella. Maria passed away far too young at the age of 45 from brain cancer, something Amalia accepted with grace, keeping her forever in her heart. Amalia was completely dedicated to her family, always encouraging her children to pursue advanced degrees, recognizing that education was the key to personal and professional advancement. Amalia had the proverbial green thumb and could make anything grow and thrive! Salvatore passed away in 2020 and Amalia Tornatore is now survived by her her son Carlo Tornatore and his wife Ellen, her daughters, Josephine Lynch and Gabriella Zafiropulos and her husband James, and her grandchildren Daniel, Colin and Christopher Lynch, Luke Tornatore, Joseph and Anna Lynch, James and Sofia Zafiropulos and a 2 year old great granddaughter, Raegan Lynch, the daughter of Colin and Meryl Lynch. She will be deeply missed by her family who recognize that she is now once again with her daughter Maria and her husband Salvatore.

Arrangements entrusted to Keyser Funeral & Cremation Service, Inc., 326 Albany Avenue, Kingston, NY 12401. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday May 26, 10 AM at St. Joseph’s RC Church, 242 Wall St., Kingston, NY 12401. Burial will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Kingston. A tribute for Amalia can be found at www.KeyserFuneralService.com, where you may leave memories and expressions of sympathy for her family. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be given to Sacred Heart Home, 5805 Queens Chapel Road, Hyattsville, MD 20782 where Amalia was lovingly cared for in her final days by the Sisters of Mary Immaculate and their staff.