Age 64, died unexpectedly on Tuesday, April 17, 2018, at UMMC, Batavia, NY. Germaine was born on July 13, 1953, the daughter of the late Nathan T. and Joan Corona Mancuso. Germaine was a life-long resident of Batavia, a graduate of Notre Dame High School, SUNY Brockport and received her Master's Degree from Buffalo State College.
Germaine’s passion was her children who survive her, Paul (Jenifer) Lord and Joan (Chad) Liggetto, Germaine’s beloved granddaughter, Alexandra Marie, was always by her "Gammie’s" side!
Germaine’s love for children extended to her career path which she spent first as a Batavia City School District substitute teacher while at the same time she pursued her studies to be an elementary school teacher. During that time, Germaine also worked for the family business, Mancuso Restaurant. Once she completed her teaching degree, she taught at John Kennedy for 20 years in a blended classroom. Her classrooms were building blocks for many children who thrived with her encouragement and attention getting experiences. Germaine embraced her community’s resources to create relevance and spark interest and enthusiasm for her young students. Genesee County Manager, Jay Gsell, was a long-time Junior Achievement Consultant for her classroom program.
Active in the Batavia Teacher’s Association serving as Grievance Chair, Germaine always said her ability to be an activist for teachers’ rights is a testament to her late lawyer husband, Anthony Irrera. Germaine also worked for the Batavia STAR program until the day she died.
Germaine was a past Scholarship Chairperson for the Paolo Busti Cultural Foundation of Genesee County. Along with her husband, Tony Irrera, the couple served in other capacities as officers, etc., while on the Board of Directors of the Foundation as well.
Germaine is also survived by her brothers, Nathan T. (Nancy Falker) Mancuso, Jr. and David (Denielle) Mancuso and their son, Dante. She will be missed and always loved by her immediate family as well as her devoted aunts, uncles, cousins, and special friends. In addition to her parents and late husband, her brother, Stephen Mancuso, predeceases her. Germaine is most fondly remembered as a beautiful baby girl one of the first grandchildren of the late Dominic C. and Mary N. Mancuso and the late Joseph and Lucy Corona.
Germaine's family will be present from 3-8pm On Monday, April 23, 2018 at the Michael S. Tomaszewski Funeral and Cremation Chapel, LLC 4120 West Main Street Road, Batavia, NY 14020 where prayers will be recited 9:30 am Tuesday, April 24 followed by her Mass of Christian Burial 10am at Resurrection Parish, (St. Mary’s Site).
She will be entombed along with her late husband in the Niche Garden at St. Joseph's Cemetery, memorial contributions in Germaine's memory can be made to the family for a scholarship in her name dedicated to the children in the Genesee County Star Program.
Germaine’s strength and subtle humor leave us with a heartbreaking refrain, “Good-bye to all my loves. You walked with me to the end, unable to stop anything from happening, but there. In the end, presence is everything.”
Please share your words of comfort with Germaine's family at www.tomaszewskifh.com or for more information please call Michael at (585)343-7500.
THE FAMILY OF GERMAINE MANCUSO-IRRERA IS BEING CARED FOR BY THE MICHAEL S. TOMASZEWSKI FUNERAL & CREMATION CHAPEL, LLC 4120 WEST MAIN STREET ROAD BATAVIA, NEW YORK 14020.
