Mary Colleen Moore Lissandrello, eldest sister to Linda Lee Moore of Villisca, died on January 9, 2021 at the age of 96 at Fox Nursing Home in Oneonta, New York. Mary was predeceased by her father, Collis E. Moore, long-time Villisca postmaster, her mother, Gladys Osborn Moore, her step-mother, Ruby Wissler Moore, and her sister, Jeanie Moore Prichard.

Growing up in Villisca, Mary began her lifelong love of books, birds, flowers, and art. She graduated as valedictorian of Villisca High School's class of 1943. Mary then taught at a one-room schoolhouse for a year before going on to Iowa State Teachers College (now known as the University of Northern Iowa), where she majored in art and English. She graduated summa cum laude in 1947. Mary then taught art in Richland, Washington for two years before traveling East to work on a Master's in Fine Arts at Columbia University. That is where she met Eugene, the handsome artist who asked to borrow her "turps." He borrowed her turpentine and stole her heart. Mary and Eugene were married in 1951 in New York City and eventually moved to Sayville, L.I., where they lived for 38 years.

Mary was an active member of the community, taking leadership roles as a member of Sayville United Methodist Church, the Bay Area Friends of Fine Arts, AAUW, and the League of Women Voters. She raised a family of four children, nurtured a yard full of flowers, visited the sick and elderly, and shared her artistic talents in a variety of ways. Mary was a prolific writer. She would stay up until the wee morning hours, penning lengthy letters to everyone she knew. When the stroke stole her ability to write she learned to print with her left hand. Her letters were shorter then, but she didn't stop writing.

In 1993 Mary and Gene moved to Oneonta, New York to be closer to two of their children. Their home on Hudson Street became the focus for family gatherings. All of their children, their spouses, and grandchildren met there for Mary and Gene's 50 ^th wedding anniversary. The breakfast nook in their new home provided an excellent spot for birdwatching, an activity that Mary and Gene both enjoyed. Mary became involved in the Oneonta AAUW, Church Women United, and the First United Presbyterian Church.  Mary painted the nativity figures for the church's outdoor creche which are displayed every year at Christmas time.

In 2006 Mary suffered a stroke and moved to Fox Nursing Home. Gene visited her nearly every day to play Scrabble until 2013 when he became a resident there as well. Gene pre-deceased Mary on September 30, 2019. Gene and Mary's ashes will be interred together at the cemetery in Villisca, Iowa. A celebration of their lives will take place at the Villisca Presbyterian Church at the family's discretion.

Mary is survived by her sister, Linda Lee Moore of Villisca, Iowa, her eldest son, Stephen Lissandrello Harvester and his wife, Judy, of Westfield, MA, her daughter, Emily Lissandrello VanLaeys of Delavan WI and her husband, Mark, her son, Christopher Gene Lissandrello and his wife, Gail, of Afton, NY and her youngest daughter, Alyssa Lissandrello Sugar and her husband, Bill, of Greenville, NC. She also leaves eleven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren; her newest great-grandchild being her namesake, Mary Grace Frances Sugar.

Memorial gifts may be made in Mary's name to: The First United Presbyterian Church, 2 Walling Ave., Oneonta, NY 13820 or to the Villisca Presbyterian Church, 109 S 3rd Ave, Villisca, IA 50864.

The family would like to thank the staff of A.O. Fox Nursing Home for their loving care of Mary and Gene over the past fourteen and half years.

Expressions of sympathy may be sent to, www.lhpfuneralhome.com Arrangements are by Lewis, Hurley & Pietrobono Funeral Home, 51 Dietz St., Oneonta, NY