Florence Sarath

Florence Sarath
Florence Sarath died on December 1, just a few weeks after her 99th birthday. She was a singer and artist (crochet, quilting, rug hooking, stained glass, painting, drawing, masonry -- yes, masonry!) and much more. Her cooking was much celebrated by her family, especially her stuffed shells and "cheesies." Mom played a mean game of Scrabble, regularly beating all of her children. She had a hearty laugh and an impeccable sense of comedic timing. Mom's zingers were legendary.
Florence was born in 1924 in Ossining, New York, the youngest daughter of Francesco and Maria Nicola Cafarelli. Florence graduated from Ossining High School in 1943, where she won the Dante Award for her Italian proficiency. Italian was her first language, and at the end of her life she was still fluent.
Mom often spoke with great love for her parents, brothers, and sisters, and her childhood, which was full of joy and laughter but also many sorrows. Her mother and father were a constant, loving presence in Mom's life. It was a home filled with music, as her father Francesco sang and whistled as he worked, and her brothers also had wonderful singing voices.
Mom inherited this love of music, and she, too, could often be heard whistling and singing around the house. Florence especially loved opera and choral music and was a member of the Ridgefield Chorale for many years.
Florence was a natural storyteller, recounting the stories from her childhood in rural Ossining, growing up the daughter of Italian immigrants. Some of her stories go back more than one hundred years, telling the saga of how her parents came to America, met, and raised their children on their farm at the beginning of the 20th century.
Florence married Edward Sarath in 1950. Originally, they settled in Ossining, but life had different plans. As Florence tells it, a tiny ad in the back of the newspaper for lots in the Ridgefield Lakes area led them to Ridgefield. She always said that when they drove out to look at the lot, the beauty of the lake and surroundings brought tears to her eyes.
They moved to Ridgefield in 1957 and raised their seven children in a small house on a big lot, where they had an enormous garden and kept chickens and bees. They hosted many family picnics over the decades, bringing together both the Cafarelli and Sarath sides of the family over bountiful food, horseshoes, and bocce.
For many years Florence worked at The Ridgefield Press as a dark room technician. She enjoyed working at the Press and being part of the news operations. She wasn't the only Sarath to work at the Press: her son Steven was the pressman, and her daughter Patrice was a reporter for the paper.
Ed passed away in 2000 and Florence kept moving forward. She traveled with friends and family, including a trip to Italy where she met her cousins. She took up new creative outlets including rug hooking, and she made many beautiful rugs that she designed herself. Florence never stopped singing and whistling around the house and taught her grandkids the joys of both.
A well-known figure in the Ridgefield Lakes neighborhood, she took daily walks around Rainbow Lake, still enjoying the beauty of the lake and hills in all seasons. Florence took it upon herself to wage war against invasive plant species, pulling out garlic mustard plants by the roots and leaving them to wither on the road. The carnage was one sign that "Well, Flo was here," and was a tribute to her commitment to the fight.
Florence was preceded in death by her parents and siblings, and to the last always spoke of how much she missed her mother and father, brothers and sisters. She is survived by her children: Carol Sarath (Karl Lohmann), Ed Sarath (Joan Harris), Maria Sarath Ragucci (Fred Ragucci), David Sarath (Jane Sarath), James Sarath, Patrice Sarath (Ben Van Dyke), and Steven Sarath. She leaves behind ten grandchildren: Maria Lohmann, Patrick Lohmann, Kimberly Van Dyke, Josh Sarath, Aidan Van Dyke, Sam Sarath, Thomas Ragucci, Peter Sarath, Annie Sarath, and Emma Tommaselli.
The Rainbow Lakes neighborhood will also hold a walk around the lake to honor Florence, on Saturday, December 16 at 11 a.m. Walkers to gather at Cross Hills and Lakeside Drive.
A celebration of life service will be held at Kane Funeral Home, Ridgefield on Friday, December 15 at 10:30 a.m. followed by a graveside service and interment in Ridgebury Cemetery. Family and friends will be received at Kane Funeral Home on Friday, December 15 from 9:30 AM to 10:30 a.m.