Alfred J. Siano

Alfred J. Siano

Greenfield, MA - Alfred J. Siano, 84, of Meadow Wood Drive Greenfield died Wednesday 5/21/25 at home. He was born at home in Greenfield on March 28, 1941, the son of Alfred and Ann (Iandoli)Siano, the middle child of a closely knit immigrant family.

He graduated from Greenfield High School in 1958 and from the University of Massachusetts in 1962 with a BS in biology. Following graduation, he served in the Air Force from 1962-1965. He was honorably discharged as a 1st Lieutenant.

Alfred was a pharmaceutical representative for Parke- Davis for 28 years and then worked for Johnson & Johnson until his retirement in 2001.

Alfie enjoyed golf and traveling throughout his life. He often said that one of the best undertakings of his adult life was discovering and being reunited with his father's family near Sarno, Italy. His wife, Mary, studied Italian and facilitated the communication with a whole village of first cousins and his father's last living sibling, Maria Siano.

Alfie had many civic and community activities: he served as Chair of the Planning Board in the 1970s, as a Town Meeting member, in 2003 he was elected to the first City Council after Greenfield's charter change to a city. He served on the Board of Dial-Self, as President of the Lions Club, as a Board member of the Senior Symposium as well as the Mount Grace Land and Conservation Trust. He was a founding member of Franklin County's Unico Club and for many years has been, with Mary, a member of Circolo Italiano in Amherst.

Besides his beloved wife of 55 years, Mary (Shea) Siano, Alfred leaves daughters, Cara Klempner and Amy Penna; grandchildren, David Klempner-Siano, Michaela Klempner-Siano, Antony Castro-Siano and Owen Alfred Penna; siblings, Frank (Rose Marie) Siano, James (Priscilla) Siano, Arlene Brissette and sister-in-law, Jean Siano.

Besides his parents, Alfred was predeceased by a brother, John Siano, a nephew, Joel Siano and a grandnephew, Matthew Walsh.

Alfie had a family by marriage that also treasured him: brothers-in-law, Christopher Shea, David (Arminda)Shea, sister-in-law, Victoria (William) Black and former sister-in-law, Fiona Shea. He was predeceased by sisters-in-law Jane Shea and Neal Shea Peters, brother-in-law, Matthew Williams, and niece, Katie Liimatainen. His father-in-law, Bernard Shea and mother-in-law, Blanche Shea, both deceased, were big fans of Alfie.

Additionally, he is survived by 5 nephews, 6 nieces,7 grandnephews,9 grandnieces in his birth family as well as 4 nieces, 2 nephews, and 4 grandnieces in his family by marriage.

Alfie and Mary have supported two young men who were orphaned by the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Al admired the all-volunteer effort of an ad hoc group in Brattleboro, VT to provide material resources to sustain an orphanage outside of Port au Prince. He thought we can help, why wouldn't we? The orphanage has worked successfully despite all the political violence to raise these earthquake victims. This is one of many examples of his kindness and his belief that we are all brothers and sisters.

Alfie was an open-hearted and generous person who shared his resources with many organizations that reflected and advanced his values. He saw the possibilities in each person and affirmed their value and dignity. He supported with resources and time Greenfield Community College, as education is a foundation and an opportunity, and where he and Mary established a scholarship to honor his mother, Ann I. Siano. The health and beauty of the environment in this region, Franklin County and all of Western Massachusetts, were active concerns for Alfie and he sought to enhance and preserve both through CISA (Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture) and the Mount Grace Land and Conservation Trust. He loved music, art, theatre and dance and was in awe of the performing artists he met. He supported the artistic endeavors of Double Edge Theatre and Antenna Cloud Farm because both have such big dreams and work to lift up the human spirit. You can honor his memory with your support of any of these fine organizations, as each one deserves community affirmation and funding.

Al and Mary enrolled in the Anatomical Gift Program at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and Al was accepted as a gift last Wednesday, May 21.

A Remembrance is being planned and will be announced on Kostanski's site as well as in the Recorder.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Kostanski Funeral Home. For condolences, please visit www.kostanskifuneralhome.com.