Endwell, N.Y. – Angelina Conti, a beloved figure in the Endwell community and former co-manager of Conti Jewelers, died peacefully on March 23rd at the age of 98.
Born in December 1925 to Giacinta Santucci and Anthony Ciotoli, Conti was remembered as a bright student who faced life’s challenges head-on. She married Albert Conti in 1947, and together they raised five children: Tom, Ellen, Paul, Billy, and Evonne.
The family settled in Owego, New York, in 1958, where Conti became an active member of the community. She joined the Sunset Garden Club and St. Patrick’s Church, and was a dedicated presence at her children’s school functions. Notably, she spearheaded a successful stamp drive fundraiser that enabled the purchase of a car for the nuns at St. Patrick’s.
In 1972, Conti joined her husband in co-managing Conti Jewelers, later working alongside her daughter Ellen. Her keen eye for fashion and exquisite taste were instrumental in shaping the store’s inventory and elegant decor.
“My father was a fantastic businessman,” Ellen Conti recalled, “but it was my mother who curated the inventory and decorated the store. She had an incredible talent for putting things together.”
Conti’s passion for the jewelry industry was evident in her dedication to staying ahead of trends. She devoured industry publications and fashion magazines, consistently making astute buying decisions for the store.
This love for fashion was a lifelong hallmark. Ellen Conti shared a touching anecdote: “Years ago, she told me about her first paycheck from a grocery store job right after high school. It was $18, and she used it to buy a pair of I. Miller shoes, which she had to put on layaway.”
Even in her later years, residing in an assisted living facility, Conti’s love for fashion never faded. “People would always comment on how beautiful she looked,” Ellen said. “She always wore her jewelry and dresses; I never saw her in a pair of pants.”
Conti played a pivotal role in the store’s 1992 renovation and its relocation to Endwell in 2004. She remained actively involved in the business until her daughter Ellen’s retirement in 2016, even attending trade shows at the age of 88.
Beyond her professional life, Conti was known as an exceptional homemaker, a skilled golfer and bridge player, and enjoyed spending winters in Italy and Orlando, Florida.
She is survived by four of her children and their spouses, numerous grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her son Billy, who tragically died of leukemia in 1974, and her husband Albert, who passed away in 1989.
A funeral mass will be held on April 2nd at the Church of the Holy Family in Endwell, followed by burial at St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Owego. Contributions in her memory can be made to St. Francis Ministry, through Sister Anisia of St. Anthony of Padua Church, or to Tioga County Rural Ministry.
