Antoinette Lauto

Antoinette Lauto was born June 14th, 1937, on Mulberry Street, Little Italy, NYC. Her father, Joseph sailed in the bottom of a ship in 1907 at the age of 12 to come to America. Her mother was a 1st generation Italian born in NYC in 1899. She was delivered by midwife, in the kitchen of her 3rd floor cold water walk up. Her eldest brother Dominick was part of the United States Army, 79th infantry division. He was a Browning Automatic Rifleman. He marched with General Patton, was wounded in action twice, and received an honorary discharge and not one, but 2 purple hearts. Her younger brother Louis was in the Navy during World War 2 when his ship was hit and sunk. Miraculously, he swam 26 miles to shore and also received an honorary discharge as he lost a lung in the process. Her older sister Fran, only experienced war when Antoinette would steal her clothes. The two of them were the best of friends. Somehow the 6 of them lived in their 4 room walk up apartment until each of them married off. They lived a simple life of simple pleasures. They slept on the fire escape in the summer to keep cool. They went to “tar beach” which was the rooftop. They played at the park and always found a dance to attend. Antoinette, who by school age was called “Netta” attended PS23 at the corner of Mulberry & Bayard Street in NYC. From there she moved onto the Manhattan Trade School for Girls. It was the first vocational school for female students established in the United States to provide training for young women to work in trades such as garment factory work and to become self-supporting, as quickly as possible. Today that school has been renamed The School of the Future and thanks to being funded by Apple Inc. focuses on critical thinking, and intellectual curiosity through meaningful inquiry and academics. The only time Netta missed class is when Sinatra was playing at the Paramount theatre in NYC. The ribbons went in her hair and the bobby socks came on. It was almost considered an excused absence from school back in the day. She lived right above the San Gennaro feast and when it took place they danced into the night until the music stopped. All this was happening while her mother was doing “piecework” and her father had multiple jobs. He ran a concession in Staten Island, he was an elevator operator back when elevators were operated with chains and ropes, and he was a truck driver. At one point he opened and ran a fruit and vegetable store. Her other pleasures were renting bicycles for 15 cents a day, getting a 5-cent egg cream at Dave’s Corner at Broadway and Canal Street, rooting for the New York Yankees, and the grand escape – going to Coney Island. She worked at the Whitaker Paper Company and in several luncheonettes before meeting her husband Joe in 1963. They married 329 days later. They moved from NYC to a 12-1/2 foot wide semidetached home in East Flatbush, Brooklyn. Netta then worked counter service at Coney Island Hospital, and at night did piece work with Joe from home. They threaded silk ribbon through pillows and glued the letter tabs on Webster Dictionaries. Right before the birth of their first son, Anthony, Netta stopped working and thought of moving “to the woods” as they called it. In the early 70’s they left Brooklyn for a “bigger and better life” in Huntington, Long Island. Her second son Joseph was born there, and Netta enjoyed being the mother of 2. Anthony Married Stephanie in 2002 and Joseph married Valerie in 2019 and Netta enjoyed her expanding family. She especially enjoyed her two grandchildren, Jake and Rocco. Her grandkids had the magic to get her to do things that she would normally never consider. Shooting paintball guns, Archery shooting, Sunset Cruises, Boating into Niagara Falls, Seal Walks in Montauk, Rock Climbing in Puerto Rico, Blowing Glass at Corning, Exploring the caves in Howe Caverns, and even going to a restaurant called “Rubbin’ Butts Barbeque.” She was a good sport. She enjoyed her family visiting, hosting holidays, and having pool parties. Her love for music never waned, it actually evolved with the times. Sinatra remained her old standby, but even recently she asked for Pitbull, Dua Lipa, and Lady Gaga. Up to week ago, Netta continued to dance, even using a walker. She passed peacefully, at her home of 53 years, with loved ones around her. In lieu of flowers donations can be made in Antoinette's memory to: The Antoinette Lauto Educational Trust Mailing Address is: 17 Whistler Hill Lane Huntington, NY 11743

Antoinette Lauto

June 14, 1937 - January 6, 2025