Charlene Cusato

July 14, 1955 - January 24, 2015

Albany- Charlene (Cookie) Cusato, a life-long resident of Albany, died unexpectedly on the night of Saturday January 24, 2015 at the age of 59. She is survived by her siblings, Victor Cusato, Marie Freeman and Patrick Cusato and her children, Kenneth Rizzo and Michael Cusato and her newest granddaughter Natalie Faith Cusato. She is predeceased by her parents Frank and Marilyn Cusato and her sister Gina Cusato. Charlene was born on July 14, 1955 to Frank Cusato and Marilyn Cusato. On June 1, 1974 and January 29, 1993 respectively, she welcomed her two sons Kenneth and Michael, who were two of the most important parts of her life. She was employed for a number of years at Solomon and Solomon Law Firm in Albany and later at The Colonial Inn pub also in Albany. She was a devoted mother who had a HUGE heart and treated everyone with the kind of caring and respect that you could ever ask from a human being. Any time a family member or friend was in need, 'Cookie' was always there to lend a hand; whether by cooking a large meal to feed a party, to lending some advice or to just providing a shoulder to lean or cry on. She faced many health obstacles in her adult life, but that did not stop her from living the kind of simple and free-spirited life that she wanted to live. She will be deeply missed by her friends, family, and the many people who knew her. Funeral services Wednesday, January 28, 2015 at 6:00 pm in the Lasak & Gigliotti Funeral Home, now located at 208 North Allen Street, Albany. Relatives and friends are invited to visit Wednesday, January 28, 2015 4:00 to 7:00 pm in the funeral home. Interment will take place privately at a later date. To leave a message for the family please visit www.LGfuneralhome.com