Obituary of Lillian R. DeSandolo

Lillian Desandolo was born in Yonkers, NY on June 1 1928. She was the youngest of six siblings, her two brothers were Tony and Angelo and her three sisters were Mary, Susie, and Maime, her Father was named Nadal and her mother was Annunziata, both of whom were first generation immigrants from Italy. She grew up on Waverly Street, minding her mother's grocery store and various tenants they kept in the building they owned. She graduated from Yonkers High School and immediately went into the financial industry, she was very good with numbers. Her first Job out of Highschool was at Guaranty Trust where she worked on Doris Duke's account. She then went to work for Westchester Federal Bank where she ascended to Vice President of operations in an age where women were not recognized for all of their talents. She Married Her Husband, Tony DeSandolo when she was 20 years old in May of 1948 and they were married sixty five years and had two daughters. She was always motivated by earning money and in an age where women were restricted, never let men tell her where her place was, as such, she took very well to owning a business of her own. When she retired from Westchester Federal Bank she bought a building and started a distinguished antique store in Pelham called Lil's Finds. She coordinated estate sales for wealthy individuals, that along with traveling the world, is how she stocked her merchandise in her shop. She bought and sold until her early nineties as well, the exhilaration of the negotiation as well as building meaningful relationships with people is what she loved most. She was an avid card player having lots of success on both the poker and blackjack tables, playing cards throughout her eighties and into her early nineties. She is survived by her two daughters, three grandsons, two great grandsons, with one on the way.