Liz Ferraro

Elizabeth C. Ferraro, 61, of Delmar, died Saturday, December 27, 2008 at St. Peter's Hospice Inn after a year and a half battle with lung cancer. Liz was born on March 23, 1947 in New York City, the daughter of Alma H. (Laubert) Conklin and the late George J. Conklin. They lived in Brooklyn until she was five years old when they moved to Westbury, Long Island. She received a bachelor's degree in art education from the State University of New York at New Paltz, and a master's degree in fine arts from C.W. Post College in Westbury. She began teaching in Glen Cove, Long Island and was married to Vincent Ferraro on February 19, 1972. They moved to Manlius, N.Y. where she taught in the Fayetteville-Manlius School District. In 1983, they moved to Delmar and she worked as a substitute teacher while their children were young. She subsequently taught full-time in the Albany City School District as an art teacher, retiring in June of 2002.

She joined Beta Sigma Phi, an international women's social and service organization, in 1978. She was an active member of NY Preceptor Beta Gamma and OnLine Beta. She held the degree of Laureate and received many honors, including Woman of the Year, Order of the Rose and Sweetheart.

She traveled extensively nationally and internationally with husband, Vince, a 50 state marathon runner, and enjoyed meeting the many friends she had made online over the years through Beta Sigma Phi.

She was a founding member of the Royal Patroon Poppies chapter of the Red Hat Society where she served as the queen mother. After retirement, she participated in the Sponsor-A-Scholar Program, mentoring students at Albany High School. A lighthouse and lock freak, she was able to fulfill a lifelong dream in 2007 when she and Vince took a 15 day cruise through the Panama Canal.

In addition to her husband, Vince, she is survived by a daughter, Jill Smith and her husband Allen Smith of Derry, N.H.; a son, Michael Ferraro of Clifton Park; mother, Alma H. Conklin of Providence, R.I.; sister, Ellen Dwyer, her husband Robert and their children, Laurel and Leia of Providence, R.I.; two brothers-in -law, Carmine Ferraro and Frank Fortunat of N.J.; an aunt; and many cousins.

Many of us had the opportunity to meet Liz at various BSP conventions and OnLine gatherings. The picture below is of Liz at her last gathering in Montana. She loved moose and was finally able to see a live one earlier on a trip to Alaska.

In the words of one BSPer, "Liz will know what you are thinking of her and know how you felt about her and how you feel about her being gone. She will always be with us until we can see her again at a final convention that can last forever."