Obituary of Lydia Marie Ferro

Lydia Marie Ferro June 21, 1932 - March 30, 2023 Lydia Marie Ferro passed away peacefully at Bridges Cornell Heights in Ithaca, NY on March 30, 2023. She was born on June 21, 1932 at Cortland Memorial Hospital in Cortland, New York, to William and Asunta (Petrella) Yacavone. Lydia was born into a family that was self-sufficient and industrious, where family gardening, food preservation, and frugal sustainable living provided the foundation for intergenerational family values. Life's mission was "to make more with less." Lydia attended St. Mary's School in Cortland and was a life-long communicate of St. Mary's Church. After graduating from Cortland High School in 1951, she was hired by the Atlantic State Gas Company as an executive secretary. There she met a group of women who would become life-long friends. She married her high-school sweetheart, Jim "Scooch" Ferro, on February 27, 1954. While raising four children, Lydia managed the business side of their custom home business, Jim Ferro, Builder. Jim built both of their homes, the second in which they lived together for 63 years. After her children left the house, Lydia obtained her real estate license. Lydia was involved in several service organizations including Home Bureau, Girl Scouts, as a troop leader and organizer, and a 4-H leader. Lydia shared her Catholic faith with her entire family often sharing special prayers and biographies of her favorite saints. She instilled a sense of benevolence reminding her children that there were many who were less fortunate. Lydia was a life-long learner with an incessant thirst for knowledge. She shared many of her creative interests with her four children including her passions for cooking, baking, gardening, reading, antique collecting, bird-watching, camping, and cross-country skiing. She inspired all of her children in different ways while respecting and nurturing their individual interests. Later in her retirement years, she became an ardent environmental advocate. She organized the opposition to a large national retailer, proposals for gas stations and intensive industrial development intended to be located over Cortland County's sole source of drinking water. She also organized her neighborhood to bring attention to the deleterious impacts of tractor trailers speeding along McLean Road. She had an innate understanding of the need to protect and preserve our world for future generations. Lydia is survived by her husband of 69 years, Jim Ferro and her four children, Renate Ferro (Tim Murray), Valarie Ferro (Tom Mack), Keith Ferro and Karen Mossman (Chris). As the world's best grandma, she kept up regularly via Facetime with her six grandchildren, Ashley Ferro-Murray (Joseph Spadola), Erin Ferro-Murray, Conor Mack, Ian Mack, Andrew Mossman (Anita), and Eric Mossman. The most recent lights of her life were her two great grandchildren, Lydia Spadola and Dominic Spadola. She insisted, until the day she passed, on being informed of their daily adventures which always put a smile on her face. Lydia was pre-deceased by her father and mother, as well as her dear brother William Yacavone Jr. (Donna, deceased). She was also pre-deceased by her beloved Maltese canine companion, Toby. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, April 11, 2023. Calling hours will be held from 9 to 10 am at the Wright-Beard Funeral Home in Cortland, NY with a Mass of Christian burial to follow 10:30 at St. Mary's Church in Cortland, NY. Interment will follow directly in St. Mary's Cemetery. Donations can be made in Lydia's name to St. Mary's Church, 59 Main Street, Cortland, NY, or Hospice of Ithaca, 172 East King Road, Ithaca, NY 14850 or a charity of choice. To offer condolences online visit www.wright-beard.com