STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Longtime Staten Islander Lydia M. Robinson, 91, of Westerleigh, a loving wife, mother and grandmother who worked in the Advance classified department for 33 years, died Saturday in Staten Island University Hospital, Ocean Breeze.
Born Lydia Sabatini in New Haven, Conn., she moved to Brooklyn as a child and made her home on Staten Island in 1951. She lived in Dongan Hills and Grant City before settling in Westerleigh in 1980.
Mrs. Robinson’s career at the Advance began in 1974 when she became an “Ad-visor” in the classified department. She also occasionally filled in at the switchboard.
In 1999, she was inducted into the Advance’s 25-Year Club during a dinner party at the former Pavilion on the Terrace in New Brighton. She was among seven employees who received a gold watch to mark 25 years of service to the newspaper.
She retired in 2006 at the age of 85.
Mrs. Robinson was a parishioner of Blessed Sacrament R.C. Church, West Brighton.
She had been a hospice volunteer for the New Vanderbilt Nursing Home in Clifton, and had a love of reading, solving crossword puzzles, crocheting, traveling and watching classic movies.
Recalled as vibrant, active and generous, she was most proud of her family.
She was especially fond of telling the story of her father, Nicholas Sabatini, an internationally known chef who created Chicken Tetrazzini — named for opera star Luisa Tetrazzini — while he was the head chef at the original Delmonico’s in Manhattan.
Mrs. Robinson chose to celebrate her milestone 90th birthday there with her family last year.
In the last few years, she played the role of “GiGi,” to her great-granddaughter, Ava. Mrs. Robinson became a great-grandmother for the second time a day before her death on Saturday, and took comfort in being able to see pictures of Juliana.
Mrs. Robinson’s husband, Leland J., died in 1963 after 18 years of marriage.
In addition to her two great-granddaughters, she is survived by her son, Nicholas; her daughter, Susan Romani; three sisters, Rina Conway, Louise Alabiso and Bianca Bozio, and six grandchildren.
The funeral will be Thursday from the Casey Funeral Home, Castleton Corners, with a mass at 10 a.m. in Blessed Sacrament Church. Burial will be in St. Peter’s Cemetery, West Brighton.
Arrangements under the direction of Casey Funeral Home, Staten Island, NY.
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