Michaelena 'Mickey' Ruggiero Palmieri

NISKAYUNA - Michaelena “Mickey” Palmieri passed away peacefully at her home on June 24, 2023, surrounded by her loving children.
She was born on September 27, 1925, in Mechanicville, NY where she had family and life-long friends. It was there that she met the love of her life, her husband Richard “Dick” Palmieri at Joyce’s Log Cabin. She graduated from Mechanicville High School and St. Mary’s Hospital Nursing School in Amsterdam, NY.
She embraced nursing as it fulfilled her natural desire to provide compassionate care to those who were suffering and often fearful. Through the years, her children have had many chance encounters with Mickey’s former patients who expressed gratitude for her kind and gentle medical treatment. She joined the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corp and started her long career as an R.N. at Leonard Hospital. After moving to Schenectady, she worked at Ellis Hospital for 25 years and was a pivotal member of the IV Team where her special talent and skill for starting IVs was fundamental to the successful treatment of patients in critical conditions, including babies and the elderly.
In addition to being a dedicated nurse, Mickey was engaged in many volunteer activities. She was a dynamic force in the pro-life community as President of Schenectady Right to Life, as a member of the Board of Directors of New York State Right to Life, and as the Vice President of New York State Nurses for Life. On October 23, 2019, Senator Jim Tedisco presented Mickey with the New York State Senate Liberty Medal, the Senate’s highest civilian honor, in recognition of her fierce advocacy and dedicated efforts to save lives of unborn children. Her tireless efforts led her to become involved in politics by educating and lobbying state legislators in Albany, many of whom commended her as a highly effective lobbyist. In 1980, she met Ronald Reagan and served as an alternate delegate for him at the Republican National Convention in Detroit.
Mickey was a devout Catholic her whole life and attended daily mass as a parishioner of St. John the Evangelist Church. She was involved in Pastoral Care, visiting hospitalized patients, and was a member of the Rosary Society. Her faith brought her on numerous international pilgrimages to holy sites such as Medjugorje, Fatima, Guadalupe, Lourdes, and many others located in Israel, Italy, and Poland. Mickey was known for her compassion and generosity and helping countless people in need. Her children have vivid memories of making Friday afternoon deliveries of her homemade lasagna and pizza to the Llwanga Shelter for men.
As a devoted mother, she ensured that her children received an excellent Catholic school education and her encouragement and support was fundamental to their attainment of advanced degrees. She cultivated her children’s interests by exposing them to domestic and international travel and sporting and cultural events. She loved foreign cultures and enjoyed exposing her grandchildren to their Italian heritage by taking each one of them individually on a tour of Italy.
Mickey loved socializing and bringing people together in celebrating the milestones of family and friends. She shared with them her love of cooking and baking and everyone loved her apple pies, cookies, and rum cream cakes which were big hits at parties and special occasions.
Mickey is survived by her loving children, Ann Marie Pewarski, Esq. and her husband Glen of Garden City, L.I., Richard Palmieri and his wife Carmen of Essex, Vt., Salvatore Palmieri and his wife Kathleen of Niskayuna, Annette Limbeck and her husband Joseph of Victor, NY, Michelle Di Tommaso, Esq. and her husband Gene of Fairport, NY, Philip Palmieri, MD and his partner Scott McIntosh of Loudonville and Robert Palmieri, Esq. of Milano, Italy; and grandchildren Conor Pewarski, Matthew Pewarski, Michaela Pewarski, Tyler Pewarski, Mariah Pewarski, Elisabeth Palmieri, Esq., Ludovica Palmieri, Gregory Palmieri, Christine Palmieri, Philip Limbeck, Victoria Limbeck, Alexandra Di Tommaso, Nicholas Di Tommaso, Giuliana Palmieri; her great-grandchildren Blaise, Cass, George, Lilly and Alexander Pewarski; many loving nieces and nephews.
Mickey was predeceased by her beloved husband Richard Palmieri, parents Caterina (Biagiotti) Ruggiero and Filippo Ruggiero, sisters Rose Costanzo, Mary DiSiena, Angela DiSiena, and brothers Joseph, Peter, and Anthony Ruggiero.
Relatives and friends are invited and may call at the Rossi & Ditoro Funeral Home, 501 Union Street, Thursday, June 29 in the evening from 4 to 7. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, June 30 at 10 am at St. John the Evangelist Church, 806 Union Street. Interment will follow in St. Anthony's Cemetery, Glenville. Memorial contributions may be made in Mickey's memory to Human Life International, www.hli.org or Catholic Charities, www.catholiccharitiesusa.org