Lucy Padilla

Lucy Padilla, our amazing and loving mother, died peacefully at 92 years old, on Friday, February 23, 2024 at Northern Dutchess Hospital with her daughters at her side. She was born in Manhattan on November 13, 1931 to Euclides and Leonidas (Romero) de Jesus. Mom was such an incredibly loving, kind and giving person; all who met her remembered and loved her.

She graduated from the High School of Commerce in Manhattan and worked as an Information/Long Distance Operator for the New York Telephone Company. Mom met the love of her life, Louis Padilla, in the early 1950s at the Spanish Villas in Plattekill, NY. When she walked in the room and heard him speaking such beautiful Spanish to a group, she was impressed with how easily he commanded the attention and respect by those around him but when he asked her to dance and she looked into his beautiful hazel eyes and saw his long eye lashes, she knew there would be no one else. They were married shortly after and had a true love affair until his untimely death at 59 in 1990. They were such a handsome couple and people would literally step aside when they were on the dance floor to watch them together.

When she married our dad and he moved her to this area, it was a huge adjustment for her, but they started their family, she got her driver’s license and they had the best parties with the most amazing friends. Mom worked part-time as the first bilingual Teller at the Ellenville National Bank for many years and then left banking to become an Orthodontist Assistant in Kerhonkson until her retirement in 1990. She is still loved and remembered fondly by her bank customers and orthodontic patients for her kindness, her physical beauty and her humor.

Mom enjoyed crocheting and actually made over 50 personalized afghans to be treasured for every family member as well as a few special people who touched her life. She loved to go to bingo on Tuesday’s where she would see friends and get out of the house for a few hours. But….her favorite past time was Scrabble. Mom didn’t care if you were 10 years old, never played the game before or had a doctorate degree, she played to win and always loved a challenge. If you came to visit, you can be sure that the Scrabble board was coming out and you had better be ready to play.

There were five of us, four daughters: Linda Hostelley of Delaware, Lillian Constant of Roscoe, Lisa (Bruce) Hansen of Accord and Laura (Frank) Battaglino of Maryland. She is predeceased by our handsome and talented brother: Louis Padilla, Jr. who died in 1995. Our family is also blessed with eight grandchildren: Eric (Casey) Miller, Louis (Michelle) Miller, Jaclyn (Darin) Day, Chris (Kendra) Constant, Alexandra (Michael Masci) Gil, Frank (Brittany) Battaglino Jr., Gabriel (Mercedes) Battaglino and Anthony Battaglino as well as 15 great grandchildren leaving an incredible legacy that will continue to grow.

Our mom, also known as Nana, loved God and her family before all else. She was thrilled every time there was a new birth and there was no one prouder than her of how we all turned out.

In addition to mom’s parents, husband and son, she was predeceased by an infant sister Lillian de Jesus, one infant grandson, Michael J. Miller; her brother, Hector de Jesus; and her sons-in-law, James Hostelley and Russell Constant.

Our family would like to acknowledge two special people: her dear friend for many, many years, Sally Shults and her “bonus daughter” Ursela “Cookie” Nesbitt both of whom she loved forever and who will miss her terribly.

In lieu of flowers, we ask that you make a donation in her name to the Shawangunk Senior Center, 70 Main Street, Napanoch, NY 12458 where she spent many hours, laughed a lot and occasionally won. 

Services provided jointly by Harris Funeral Home of Roscoe, NY and HB Humiston Funeral Home of Kerhonkson, NY. Visitation will be held on Sunday, March 3, 2024 from 4PM-6PM at HB Humiston Funeral Home, 30 42nd Street, Kerhonkson, NY. 

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Monday, March 4, 2024 at 10AM in St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church, 1017 Keator Avenue, Rosendale, NY. Father Kevin Malick will officiate.  Burial will follow at the Pine Bush Cemetery in Kerhonkson.