Sara Frances Cardinale Conte, involved in community

Sara Frances Cardinale Conte was born during World War I in Hudson, N.Y., to Daisy Denniston Cardinale and Frank Cardinale.

She had an older brother, Charles, and a younger brother Jim. Her father owned a restaurant and was active in politics. Her mother was a homemaker who was a Noble Grand in the Rebeccas. Her parents were charter members and founders of Mount Carmel Church in Hudson.

Sara grew up during the Great Depression. She chose to be a beautician, so she and a friend traveled to Albany, N.Y., each day by railroad for her training. After graduation, with the help of her father, she opened her own salon called Sari's Beauty Parlor. Soon our country found itself involved in World War II. During the war Sara met and married Fred John Conte. Within a few months after their marriage Fred left to serve his country. He was stationed in Pearl Harbor and was off the waters of Hawaii in a mother ship when Pearl Harbor was bombed. His brother Joseph gave his life as a Marine in Iwo Jima.
Sara operated her beauty shop till Fred returned from the Navy. They moved from Hudson to Troy, N.Y., so Fred could attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to become a mechanical engineer. Sara became pregnant and delivered her first daughter Gloria, and two-and-a-half years later her second daughter Anita.

After Fred's graduation they moved to Hyde Park, N.Y., where Fred took a job with IBM. In 1955 the young family moved to Valley Forge, Pa., for Fred to work in the space program with General Electric. Sara was always very proud of her husband, especially when he was mentioned in Time Magazine for helping design the nose cone for the Apollo, and when he appeared in Who's Who in Science. Sara supported her husband and his engineering career as they moved to Louisville, Ky., Greenville, S.C., and then back to Pennsylvania.

Sara was a homemaker and a mother, but she was also very active in the community. She was active with the League of Women Voters and the Election Board. She volunteered for the Red Cross and the church thrift shop. She helped with fundraisers for the dental clinic and the Indian reservations. She was a member of the garden club and enjoyed taking craft courses. She made many beautiful Della Robbia wreaths. Sara also took several courses in first aid. She would have made a wonderful nurse. She was an assistant Girl Scout leader for many years.

In 1986 Sara lost her beloved husband to cancer. Sara moved to Hershey Mills, an adult community in West Chester, Pa., and continued with her volunteer work at the church thrift shop. In 2007 she became a member of the Col. David Hall Chapter of the DAR. Her patriot is John Dennison of New York. Both daughters and her granddaughter Linda are members of the DAR. Her great-granddaughter is a member of the CAR.

Sara has seen many changes in the world over the years. But some things didn't change. She loved her family and her dogs, and living in her own home. She always had a positive attitude. She was preceded in death by her parents, Daisey and Frank Cardinale; and her two brothers Charles and Jim Cardinale. She is survived by her daughter Gloria Lester (Bill) in Lewes, where she resided for the last year-and-a-half, her daughter Anita Jensen (Bill) in Phoenixville, Pa.; her granddaughter Linda Shupe (Roger); and her great-granddaughter Caitlyn in Saint Mary's, Ga.
Visitation will be Thursday, June 22, at Bates Anderson Funeral Home in Hudson from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., at 110 Green St., and a Funeral Mass will follow at noon at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 429 Allen St., in Hudson. Burial will take place immediately after at Cedar Park Cemetery.