ELIZABETH "BETSY" SIMAO

May 15, 1936 - February 25, 2020

Elizabeth “Betsy” (DeSantis) Simao, passed away peacefully on February 25th at Upstate Community Hospital. A lifelong resident of Solvay, she and her husband Tony, also took great pleasure in spending time and entertaining at their Cape Vincent, NY and Melbourne, FL homes. In 2018, Betsy moved to Onondaga Hill to live with her daughter and son-in-law, Roseanne and Rick Scrimale, and their children, Nina, Antonio and Nicoletta. Born May 15, 1936, Betsy was the youngest of five children born to Nicholas and Rose (Fiore) DeSantis, and will always be affectionately remembered for her delightful cooking, warm hospitality and kind heart. A graduate of Solvay High School, she worked for NY Telephone and AT&T for 25 years, until retiring in 1993. Betsy was a communicant of St. Cecilia’s Church where she was a Eucharistic Minister and member of the Altar and Rosary Society. She was also a member of the Solvay Tigers Ladies Auxiliary. In addition to her parents, Betsy was predeceased by her brothers, Lawrence and PFC Frank DeSantis, sisters, Fay Rydelek and Rosemary Campagnoni, and her loving husband of 36 years, Antonio “Tony” Simao. In addition to many great lifelong friends, Betsy is survived by her children, Lisa (Mark) Cavallaro, of Onondaga Hill, sons, Joe Simao, of Palm Bay, FL and Philip (P.J.) Simao, of Alexandria Bay and Roseanne (Rick) Scrimale, of Onondaga Hill. Those “Nana” cherished most are her grandchildren: Nick (Ali) Cavallaro, Marisa (Derek) Norcross, Dina Cavallaro, Michele Simao, Taryn (Jared) Perrone, Nina, Antonio and Nicoletta Scrimale, and six great-grandchildren: Bodhi, Isla, Lena, Lucas, Dominic and Mila. Betsy’s children would like to acknowledge the loving and compassionate care Mom received and the assistance we all received from Betsy’s Dream Team of caregivers: Kelly, Kelli, Liz, Lori, Leah and Kim and the doctors, nurses and staff of Upstate Community Hospital, 4 North. Family and friends may call from 1:00 to 4:00 pm Sunday at BAGOZZI TWINS FUNERAL HOME, 2601 Milton Avenue. Funeral services will be held 10:45 am Monday at BAGOZZI TWINS FUNERAL HOME and 11:30 am at St. Marianne Cope Parish-St. Cecilia Church, where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated. Burial will follow in Greenlawn Memorial Park, Warners. Contributions may be made to Hospice of Jefferson County, 1398 Gotham Street, Watertown, NY 13601. Please share online tributes and memories at www.bagozzitwins.com.