SMITHVILLE – Frederick L. Stagnaro, 77, of Smithville, passed away peacefully on Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012 surrounded by his loving family.
Fred was born to the late Frederick Joseph and Catherine Agnes (Lennon) Stagnaro, June 20, 1934, in Manhattan. He joined the New York City Police Department shortly after graduating from St. Anthony’s High School in Smithtown, where he studied to be a Franciscan brother. He served his country in the United States Army from 1957 to 1959.
Fred married the love of his life, Eileen Bridget Farrell, on May 9, 1959 in St. Ephrem’s Roman Catholic Church before their friends and family. The two made their first home in Brooklyn before moving into the house in Broad Channel that had been Fred’s childhood home. Even in the early days of the marriage, they were thinking ahead to his retirement and in 1961, they purchased the 153 acres in Smithville Center that will be forever known to the extended family as “The Farm.”
Fred was one of New York’s Finest for 20 years before retiring in 1976, at which point the family traded in city life for a more rural existence. While Fred dreamed of being a dairy farmer, it wasn’t meant to be. It wasn’t until he turned 50 that he found his true second calling: flying. It only took one lesson for him to fall in love. Within a few short years he had earned his advanced ratings and opened his own flight school, Norwich Flight Instruction. He loved introducing others to aviation, and helped many students earn their private pilot license. One of his greatest joys was flying the Flight Services Group jet, which he did into his 60s.
A star athlete in his youth, Fred was highly competitive and excelled at everything he put his mind to. He had many hobbies and interests over the years including sailing, boating, hunting, fishing, and skeet shooting. The family home is testament to his passion for and skill with stained glass, woodworking and masonry.
Shortly before his own cancer diagnosis, Fred became a volunteer for Hospice and Palliative Care of Chenango County, spending precious time with patients who were in the last stages of their lives and their families. The organization recognized him as a Hospice Hero in 2009.
To the end, Fred lived his life with honesty, integrity, dignity, passion, humor and kindness. He never gave in to the insidious disease which slowly invaded his body. He fought to the very end, and truly “died with his boots on.” His family takes comfort in knowing he is no longer suffering and is finally at peace.
He will be remembered always as a loving husband, brother, father, grandfather, uncle, pilot, instructor and friend.
Fred was predeceased by his parents; his cousins John Curry, Joseph Delaney and Louis Esposito; his brothers-in-law Richard Lopresti and Robert Kuddar; and sister-in-law Loretta Kuddar. He is survived by his loving wife of nearly 53 years, Eileen; his children Patricia Stagnaro, Dennis (Lisa) Stagnaro, Kenneth (Amy) Stagnaro and Melissa Stagnaro; and his sister, Sister Kathleen Stagnaro, OSF. His grandchildren John and Jessica Cullen, Madison Stagnaro, Mason Wucher, Isabella and Elizabeth Stagnaro and Trista and Tia Thorn were the light of his life. The entire Farrell Family mourns the loss of one who was more than a brother-in-law, more than an uncle. Scores of nieces and nephews will forever hold memories of “Uncle Fred” in their hearts. He will be remembered, too, by all those whose lives he touched, particularly those he taught to fly.
Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday at the Behe Funeral Home of Oxford. Funeral services will be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Oxford.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to Hospice and Palliative Care of Chenango County, 21 Hayes St., Norwich, NY, 13815.