Jeanne Rose Lofaro Arduino of Tarrytown, NY, passed peacefully in her sleep leaving behind a legacy of love, resilience, humor, and devotion to her faith, family, many dear friends and her community. After a long and full life, Jeanne is re-united with her beloved husband, Santo, and cherished son, Luke Francis, whom she held close in her heart every day since his tragic passing in 1977.

Born on December 14, 1929 to John Lofaro and Marie Friere Lofaro, Jeanne lived through nearly a century of change, meeting each chapter with grace, strength, and quiet determination. Jeanne was a graduate of North Tarrytown High School and Marymount College. Answering a call to faith, Jeanne devoted a year as a novitiate with the Maryknoll Sisters, spent a college summer at a catholic school for Native American children on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota and performed social work for Catholic Charities in NYC post-college graduation. These experiences left a lasting imprint on her compassionate and service-oriented life. 

In 1957, Jeanne married Santo F. Arduino, who predeceased her in 1996. They quickly started a family and would have 6 children in 6 years: Matthew, Luke  (born on St Luke’s day), Mark, Jean Marie, Jon and Joseph.  Jeanne and Santo took their family on yearly pilgrimages to the Maryknoll sisters to visit Jeanne’s former Mother-Superior, proudly showcasing with joy all their children. She worked at various jobs over the years, including the Tarrytown Public Schools, Brunt and Brooks Pharmacy, Union Carbide, and Paxar, to ensure her children could enjoy vacation adventures with their dog Chipper and have access to advanced education. Weekends were strictly devoted to large Italian family gatherings at the Arduino’s and Lofaro’s homes as well as trips to the “city” cousins, the Abrami family, in Brooklyn.  Early years of family life found Jeanne overseeing with her friends’ Mary Ann Lawlor, Josephine Galgano, Sue Avellino, and other neighbors, the North Tarrytown Gory Brook Road gang of kids.   With a move to Tarrytown and larger housing for a growing family, Jeanne’s home became a gathering place for many – family, friends, her children’s friends, and even the high school track coach, who would stop in for coffee and conversation during the summer breaks.

The various social and community settings around the Tarrytowns sustained Jeanne in the 30 years following her husband’s passing (to name just a few: St. Teresa of Avila Church, RSHM Life Center, Catholic Daughters, Tarrytown Seniors, Neighborhood House, Phenix House, ‘Knit Wits’, Immaculate Conception Church 300 Club and  yearly festivals, daily stops at Broadway shops to chat with the owners/workers, gatherings with friends/sisters at Bellas, E&E Deli, Mrs. Greens and the Pastry Chef;  frequent get-togethers, to only name a few of many people, with Mary Ann Lawlor, Faith and Lou Tucci (and family), Louise & Marty Anniccherico, Betty Zivica, Gloria Verrone, the extended local Arduino/Lofaro/Morabito/Friere family members, residents/staff of 19 S Broadway, Marion Snizek, Barbara Ceconi, and especially, her sisters: Marion (and her entire family:BJ, Grace, Bill and Bob), Barbara and Anne Louise).

Survivors include 5 of her 6 children, spouses, grandchildren/grand-dogs [Matthew (Susan; grandchildren, Luke, Benjamin/Alex), Mark (Deborah; grandchildren: Brandon Luke, Carlie/William, grand-dog: Ryan), Jean Marie (Brian Walling; grand-dog: Izzy), Jon, and Joseph (grand-dogs: Kodiak and Finley)], her sister Anne-Louise Taylor, her sister-in-law Mary Arduino, all her nieces and nephews, her Lofaro cousins (Marianne, Linda Kay and Mary) and their families, and the Friere extended family.

The family thanks Jeanne’s many helpers and caregivers, including Janice S, Fadima B, and all the staff of The Chelsea at Greenburgh and Sky View Rehabilitation & Health Care Center. 

Jeanne was a woman of deep faith, strong values, and unwavering commitment to all those she loved and her community. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to RSHM Life Center | RSHM Life Center (RSHM LIFE Center, 32 Beekman Ave, Sleepy Hollow, NY 10591) rshmlifecenter.org or the Neighborhood House Neighborhood House - Home (43 Wildey Street, Tarrytown, New York 10591) theneighborhoodhouse.org