Maria Josephine Lawless (Gilberti)

Maria J. Gilberti Lawless, 99, passed away on Saturday afternoon May 25 at Kingsway Arms Nursing Home.

Born in Scotia, Maria was the daughter of the late Toni and Rosario (Veglia) Regano and adopted daughter of the late Carl and Julia Veglia.

A former teacher in the Schenectady Adult Education System, Maria was a member of St Gabriel’s Church, a member of the Rotterdam Lions Club and a volunteer for the blind, the Ladies of the Rotterdam Elks and the Rotterdam Democratic Club.

Predeceased by her husbands, Joseph Gilberti in 1971 and William Lawless in 2017, Maria was also predeceased by a daughter Julie Devlin and a brother, Richard Veglia.

She is survived by her daughters, JoAnn Droms (William) of Alexandria, VA and Carla Diamond (John) of Centreville, VA, sisters, Claudia Karaszewski of Florida, Judy Urano of Roanoke, VA and Norma Rumph of Arizona, 5 grandchildren,11 great grandchildren, 4 great great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

A visitation will be held on Friday morning May 31st from 9:45am to 10:45am at Bond Funeral Home, Broadway & Guilderland Ave., Schenectady followed at 11:30 am at St. Gabriel’s Church, 3040 Hamburg Street, Schenectady where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated.

Interment will be in St Cyril’s Cemetery in Rotterdam, NY