Mary Elizabeth Cusumano

October 16, 2016

Service Details

Mary Elizabeth Cusumano was born March 15, 1957 to Dr. Charles Anthony Cusumano and Germaine Martha Cusumano at Fort Jackson in South Carolina. She was the third daughter of four girls. She attended Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary School in Massapequa Park, and later attended schools in Dix Hills. She graduated from Half Hollow Hills East in Dix Hills, New York.

Mary’s interests as a young girl were tennis, horseback riding, piano, singing and dancing. She was particularly talented at knowing the latest dances and which songs were on the top of the charts. Mary was also very active in high school, particularly as a cheerleader. Following high school, Mary attended C.W. Post of Long Island University until she decided she wanted to become a Dental Assistant. She did this and went to work with her father at his dental office. She remained with him at that practice until he retired.

Mary showed her love for her parents, sisters and their husbands, nieces, nephews and great-nieces and nephews by always being positive and enjoying the time together. She loved her church and enjoyed singing at Mass. She spent six years in Iowa following the death of her dad and when her mom passed away, she went back to Long Island to be close to her sister, Anita. When Anita passed, and she and Charlotte only had each other, she came back to Iowa.

Her favorite show was Leave it to Beaver. Those who knew her understood her love to watch life affirming shows and movies. Christmas was very special to her and she always did her best to make it merry for everyone.

Mary left this world peacefully in her sleep on October 16, 2016 after her long battle with a debilitating muscular disease. She was preceded in death by her sisters, Regina Catherine and Anita Louise; and her mother and father. Mary has one remaining sister, Charlotte Anne and leaves behind two brothers-in-law, Michael, Anita’s widower, and Thomas, husband to Charlotte; five nieces and nephews, Katelynn Marie and husband Paul, Matthew Thomas and wife Mackenzie, Charles Zachary and wife Sarah, Collen Regina and Caroline Germaine; five great-nieces and nephews, Isabella Charlotte, Greyson Paul, Paxton Thomas, Harper Quinn, and Keegan Daniel. All who knew her will miss Mary greatly.

Visitation will be held Friday, October 21 from 5 to 7 p.m. with a 7 p.m. vigil at Hamilton’s on Westown Parkway, 3601 Westown Parkway in West Des Moines and the funeral Mass at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, 15 Indianola Avenue in Des Moines on Saturday, October 21 at 10:00 a.m.

Condolences may be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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