From: [X]Fran Olson Gustafson 1965 | Date: 2026-10-22 15:58:22

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    Loretta Mary Martini, 96, formerly of Newburgh, New York, and Tampa, Florida, left this world on Saturday, October 17, 2026, but the love she built will last forever.

Loretta was born on November 23, 1929, in Newburgh, New York. She was the middle child of three children, Loretta, Carmela, and Anthony (Tony), born to Frank and Rose Martini. From an early age, Loretta developed a strong faith connection that followed her throughout her life.

Loretta's Catholic faith called her into service as a nun with the Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart, where she faithfully served for sixteen years. She continued serving our Lord as a lay person at Sacred Heart Church in Newburgh, New York. After being dispensed from her vows, Loretta embarked on her second career as a teacher with the New York Public School System. She retired from academia in the 1990s after serving as an elementary school educator for many years.

Despite her years of professional service to the Catholic Church and the students of the New York Public School System, her greatest accomplishment was being an aunt and great-aunt to her many nieces and nephews, their children, and their children's children.

Loretta never married but fully devoted herself to her family, former students, and anyone blessed to meet her. Everyone who came into Loretta's orbit will remember her deeply held faith, her selflessness, her love and compassion. She found joy in singing in the Sacred Heart Church choir, spending time with her family and friends, celebrating their joys and successes as her own, and her willingness to help, care for, and support others.

Loretta's legacy lives on through her nieces and nephews: Rosemarie (Martini) Butler and husband Sam, Nancyann (Martini) Slade and husband Steven, and Frank Martini and wife Marcia (Malinowski). She was blessed to be the great-aunt of eleven great-nieces, nephews, and their spouses: Sammy and April (Spahr) Butler, Christopher and Dana (Manci) Butler, David Butler, Stephanie Slade, Robert and Sufen (Hu) Slade, Anthony and Megan (Weiss) Martini, Margaret (Martini) and Johnny Minieri, Catherine (Martini) and Oliver Riley, Meredith (Martini) and Bedri Alicku, Carmela DiSalvo "CJ," and Frank DiSalvo IV. She was also called great-great-aunt by fourteen great-great nieces and nephews.

Loretta is also remembered by countless friends and acquaintances whose lives she interacted with and influenced.

Loretta was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Rose (LaSalla) Martini; her sister, Carmela (Martini), and brother-in-law, Frank DiSalvo; her brother, Anthony, and sister-in-law, Virginia (Ponesse) Martini; and nephew Frank DiSalvo III. All of whom, we trust, welcomed Loretta with open arms. Loretta's faith helped her prepare to meet God and Jesus in heaven.

A Mass of Christian Burial for Loretta will be held on Saturday, October 31, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church (301 Ann Street) in Newburgh, New York. The Rite of Committal will follow at Calvary Cemetery (304 Walsh Avenue) in New Windsor, New York. - November 23, 1929 ~ October 17, 2026

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart at 928 Jaymor Road, Suite C-120, Southampton, PA 18966. www.greynun.org
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