Esther P. Delgado

Esther Delgado was born on December 13, 1933 in the apartment at 404 Fourth Avenue, Brooklyn, to Lorenzo and Mary (DeSantis) Scarlino. Her parents were going to name her for her paternal grandmother Pasquette Scarlino, so she was to be Pasqua Scarlino. But, grandma Scarlino, even though she spoke only Italian, convinced her son and daughter-in law to give her granddaughter (her FIRST grandchild) an American name as they were in America. And so, Pasqua in English means “Easter”, and from “Easter” they got “Esther”. Her full name was to be Pasqua Esther Lucia Francesca Scarlino. (Lucia for Santa Lucia, and Francesca for Mary’s sister Frances.)

The Scarlino family lived in the apartment on Fourth Avenue until 1940, but Esther spent most of her childhood and early adulthood in Gravesend, on West 8th Street, where her DeSantis grandmother, Angelina, lived in a rented “bungalow”. When her grandfather Luigi DeSantis died in 1940, Esther’s mom moved the family - which now included brother Adolf (1935) and brother Louis (1940) - to that same bungalow. Esther attended P.S. 248 until almost the end of 6th grade, when the family moved back to Park Slope, to a house on 14th Street. Still, on weekends, holidays and summers, Esther spent her time at her grandmother’s house on West 8th Street, engulfed in family. She and her cousin Eleanor – more a sister – had wonderful times together. In 1960, mom Mary Scarlino bought a house on West 8th Street, down the block from “the bungalow”, and so the family life on West 8th street was cemented. Esther would be a part of this neighborhood for all of her 90 years of life.

Esther attended and graduated from Manual Training High School in 1951. She worked as a secretary until she married Manuel Anthony Delgado in 1959, then was “home with the children” – Manny (1960), Maria (1961) and Lorenzo (1963), and stepdaughter Anna (1953). Once Lorenzo was safely in kindergarten, Esther began her work in school, with the P.S. 95 PTA. She made a HUGE impact on the school and community, and also made her best friends there, as “the PTA ladies” shared their trials and tribulations of daily life. Once her children all graduated from elementary school, she worked in the District 21 office – in that same building - so she could be close to home. Other jobs followed, including at Arts Magazine in Manhattan. She had to leave that position to care for her brother Louis, who had a terminal illness. After his death (1981), she started working for Independence Savings Bank on Kings Highway (again close to home), where she made many friends. She often said they “had more fun than anything”, eating together, shopping, talking, holiday parties (and yes, they worked😊). She retired from there – reluctantly - in 1998. In her retirement, her greatest joy was spending time with her husband, family and especially her grandchildren.

Esther was pre-deceased by her husband Manuel Anthony (2006), brother Louis (1981) and sister Eleanor (2010). She leaves behind brother Adolf (Rose;) children Anna (John), Manny (Sharon), Maria (Norman) and Lorenzo (Susan); grandchildren Jason (Bri), Joseph (Lorena), Christopher (Samantha), Frankie, Linda, John Christopher and Luisa, Rachel (Tyler) and Melissa (Dan); and great-grand-children Lexi, AnnaJo, Ethan and Lukas; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Our hearts are broken. We will miss her voice, her laugh, her singing the joys of life. We also know her love will surround us forever. Rest in peace, mommy.

A visitation for Esther will be held Saturday, September 14, 2024 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Cusimano & Russo Funeral Home, 2005 West 6th St, Brooklyn, NY 11223. Following the visitation will be a funeral mass from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM at Church of Sts. Simon & Jude, 185 Van Sicklen St, Brooklyn, NY 11223.