Christine Raiola

Christine Raiola, 93, died of natural causes on Friday, January 24, 2025, at her residence with her loving family by her side. Born Wednesday, November 18, 1931 in Brooklyn, New York, Christine was the daughter of John and Anna Cascella, who arrived in America from Italy not long after World War I. She was the youngest of five children, her sisters Millie, Mary and Nettie, and her brother Ralph. Introduced to the Church at an early age, Christine was a lifelong practicing Catholic who found great comfort and strength in attending masses, novenas, and adorations, and in reciting the rosary. She attended Lafayette High School, graduating in (or about) 1949. Around this time Christine met the love of her life, Joseph (Joe) Raiola, and they were married on June 16, 1952. They had three children, Joseph (1955) and William and Loretta, twins (1958). On August 2, 1963, Christine and her family moved from 64th Street in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn to Ray Street in Eltingville, Staten Island, where she would live for the rest of her life. In 1964, Christine went to work full time in Manhattan. She was employed for a short period in banking before landing a position at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island, the start of 30+ year career as a civilian in the U.S. army. She went on to serve at Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn, where she was a Protocol Liaison working with top military brass and foreign dignitaries. In 1998, after retiring from the army, Christine took a position at the College of Staten Island, where she worked part-time as a College Assistant to the President. In 2001, Christine took an extended leave of absence to fully devote herself to caring for Joe, who was diagnosed with a glioblastoma and died in February 2002. Later that year Christine returned to the college, where she worked with three different presidents until her retirement in 2014. While she was deeply engaged in her work and her faith, Christine valued family life most of all. She prided herself on maintaining a clean, organized and welcoming home for her loved ones to visit. Christine was adored for her inexhaustible hospitality and culinary prowess. Her red sauce, lentil soup, eggplant parmigiana, rice balls and chicken cutlets were among the family’s favorites. Her antipasto platters and frittatas were works of art. Her holiday meals, most notably Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas (both eve and day!) were legendary feasts with Cornish hens, shrimp scampi, lobster tails and Italian cheesecake. Everyone went home with leftovers. Christine is survived by her children Joseph Raiola (Lisa), William Raiola (Donna) and Loria (Loretta) Raiola-Trapp (Karlus), grandchildren Ryan, John, Kara, Danny and Jermain, and great-grandchildren Josie and Jack. The family will receive loved ones from 2:00 - 4:00 pm and 7:00 - 9:00 pm on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, at the John Vincent Scalia Home For Funerals, Inc., 28 Eltingville Blvd. (at Eltingville Station), Staten Island, New York. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, January 30, 2025 at 10 am at the Church of the Holy Child, 4747 Amboy Road, Staten Island, NY. Interment will follow at Resurrection Cemetery at 361 Sharrot Ave, Staten Island, NY, followed by a memorial luncheon at the Old Bermuda Inn, 301 Veterans Rd West, Staten Island, NY. In lieu of flowers, donations in Christine's name to Holy Child Church would be greatly appreciated.

Christine Raiola

November 18, 1931 - January 24, 2025