Parente, Nicola C.

ALBANY-Nicola C. Parente, 86, died suddenly Friday, June 16, 2017.

Born in Montesarchio, Italy he was the son of the late Clemente and Concetta Parente, the second born of six children. As a young man he worked on his family farm and sang for the Church. When he was young, he fell in love with Angelina Damiano of the same small town. They married in 1954 in Italy. In April of 1956, with their infant daughter, they boarded the Andrea Doria for a new and uncertain life in America. They settled in Albany, NY where they raised a family together until Angelina’s untimely death in 2003.

Nick, as his American friends called him, was known for his hard work; he was successful in his goal to provide the American dream for his growing family. He became a talented mason, first as a member of the Bricklayers Union and then starting his own business, Parente Masonry. He continued to travel back to Italy as often as possible to visit his siblings in which he had a loyal and unbreakable bond. He also enjoyed his many trips to Niagara Falls, Canada where he cherished rekindling stories with his childhood friend and his family. His favorite days were spent with family, eating Angelina’s home cooked meals, and watching the NY Mets.

He was the loving and proud father of Concetta (Peter) Crowder of OR, his twin sons, Clemente (Anne) of Slingerlands and Giovanni (Alicia) of OH, and Carmella Parente Forster (Brian) of Albany; beloved brother of Angelina Valente, Assunta Riccio, Giuseppina Girardi, Sr. Carmela Parente, O.P. all of Italy and the late Fr. Vincenzo Parente, O.P.; doting and generous grandfather of Nicole, Emily, Michael, Nicholas, Elizabeth and Anna; also survived by several nieces and nephews who we know will miss him dearly.

The Parente family would like to thank the staff and his friends at St. Peter’s Nursing and Rehabilitation Center where he spent the last two years becoming part of their community, special thanks to his favorite nurse “Momma”.

Relatives and friends are invited to visit with Nicola’s family on Tuesday, June 20, from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Daniel Keenan Funeral Home, 490 Delaware Ave., Albany. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, June 21, at 8:45 a.m. from the funeral home thence to Historic St. Mary’s Church on Capitol Hill (corner of Pine and Lodge Sts.) Albany where his funeral Mass will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. Interment will be in St. Agnes Cemetery in Menands.

Those who wish may make memorial donations to Albany Medical Center’s DiNapoli Research Fund, by going online to https://community.amc.edu/parkinson