Nicholas A. Curto Sr.

MECHANICVILLE Nicholas A. Curto Sr., 83, of Park Avenue, Mechanicville and Biscayne Park, Fla., died Tuesday, August 19, 2003 at Miami Shores Regional Medical Center, following a lengthy illness. Born in Mechanicville July 11, 1920, he was a son of the late Nicholas and Lucy Veraldi Curto. Mr. Curto was the husband of Roberta (Bobbie) M. Julian Curto whom he married May 2, 1953. He was a devoted husband, father and friend. He was a veteran of World War II and proudly served with the United States Navy in both the Atlantic and Pacific Theaters of Operations, serving aboard the aircraft carrier USS Randolph CV-15. He was an engineering petty officer where he was in charge of desalinization of salt water into fresh water. He was awarded the following medals: the Navy Good Conduct Medal, European African Middle East Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Philippine Liberation Medal The Philippine Independence, the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal with three bronze stars. A 1938 graduate of Mechanicville High School, he attended R.P.I. in Troy and received his degree in business administration from Columbia University. He was also a graduate of the Joseph Bulova School of Watchmaking in N.Y. He received his master of horological sciences from the Horological Institute of America in Washington DC. He was an Alpha Beta Kappa inductee in engineering sciences. He was a registered gemologist from the Gemological Institute of America. Mr. Curto was a life member of the Elks Lodge 1403 of Mechanicville, the American Legion Post of Mechanicville and the Disabled American Veterans of Foreign Wars. He was a life member of the Mechanicville Rotary Club, having received the Paul Harris Humanitarian Fellowship Award from Rotary International. A former member of the Mechanicville Planning Board and the Mechanicville Area Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Curto was a former resident of Redbank, N.J., from 1948 to 1953, where he was a managing partner and co-owner of Rociti Jewelers of Redbank, Long Branch and Point Pleasant, N.J. In 1953, he relocated back home to Mechanicville where he established Curto Jewelers which he owned and operated until retirement in 1979. Nick enjoyed golfing, water skiing and boating on Saratoga Lake and all sporting events. Survivors in addition to his wife, Roberta include two sons, Nicholas (Anne) Curto Jr. of Mechanicville and Arthur (Debbie) Curto of Clifton Park; three daughters, Celeste Curto of Saratoga, Denise (Michael) Miller of Mechanicville and Anita (Mark) Jesmer of Gathersburg, Md.; one brother, Frank Audi of Greenwich, N.Y.; one sister, Mary Curto of Mechanicville; 13 grandchildren; several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by brothers, Salvatore, Pasquale Curto; and sisters, Anna Grimaldi and Carmella Fushino. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Monday, August 25 at 9:30 a.m. from Assumption-St. Paul's Church, North Main Street, Mechanicville. Relatives and friends may call Sunday from 5-8 p.m. at the North Main Street Church. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, the American Lung Association or the American Kidney Foundation in his memory. E-mail condolences or fond memories to: ChaseDunnFH@aol.com