Carmela Colosimo Remembered as Dedicated Educator, Always Smiling

Cranford Patch is gathering comments on Carmela LaTorre Colosimo, 56, Orange Avenue assistant prinicipal who died Thursday of cancer. Please share your remarks on Ms. Colosimo in the comments below.

Kerry Rokicki co-president of the Orange Avenue School PTA told Patch that Colosimo would be dearly missed by the Orange Avenue students, faculty and staff.

“She had a great outlook on life,” Rokicki said. “She was a great part of the community.”

Rokicki said Colosimo was a dedicated educator and it was very evident how much she loved the students and staff at Orange Avenue.

“I think during her illness she drew her strength from her work, from the students, the school and community,” Rokicki expressed.

She added that each time she visited the school; Colosimo was always smiling and always approachable.

“About four years ago, I visited Orange Avenue for a parents night to see what the students were learning and Carmela was going over a math lesson with the parents,” Rokicki explained. “You could see she was totally in the element, she loved the topic, she was really energized and her love for teaching and the subject matter was really evident.”

At Orange Avenue on Monday, staff was ready to assist other staff members and students at this difficult time. Principal Michelle Vella sent a letter to the community on Thursday informing everyone of the saddening loss.

"Ms. Colosimo distinguished herself as a caring, loving family woman. She considered the students, staff and parents of Orange Avenue part of her extended family," Vella said in the letter. "She was a valuable member of the school family and has many friends who will miss her dearly."

For over three decades Colosimo served as an educator, inspiring the lives of so many children.

Josephine Cioffi, expressed her condolences for Colosimo on the funeral home’s remarks page.

“She would stop at nothing to help someone in need,” she said. “One special memory I have of her was her love to teach. When my children were old enough, I decided to go back into teaching, I called her for help and advise. She took a special trip to my home and said, ‘Pina, I'll come right over and help you, let's set up a time.’ and she came and stayed until all of my questions were answered. She loved to teach and it showed. She inspired me that afternoon and help to reignite my passion for education.”

Janet Gurman, an Orange Avenue parent, wrote her condolences that as a parent there are no words to describe the grief of such a loss.

“I can only give thanks to God for sending Mrs. Colosimo to be a part of the Orange Avenue School community,” she wrote. “She lived the words of Maya Angelou each and every day at school. Mrs. Colosimo mattered because our children mattered to her. Her beautiful and compassionate life impacted upon ours through our children.”

The quote she refers to is this, “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

A phrase that her family said is something Colosimo lived each and every day whether it was through her students, friends or family, according to her obituary.

Some friends and family turned to Facebook to express their grief for the loss of woman that everyone remembers for her warm smile.

“She will always be remembered by her Orange Avenue School extended family by her smile and kind ways,” Michelle Dubois Chiodo wrote. “She was a beautiful person inside and out.”

Cranford Patch will update this article as we receive more remarks.

Visitation will be Tuesday from 3 to 8 p.m. at Higgins and Bonner funeral home at 582 Springfield Ave., Westfield. Mass will be held Wednesday at 11 a.m. at St. Teresa's RC Church in Kenilworth.

In honor of Carmela Colosimo, donations can be made to the CANswer project online or by check. Details are available on its website.