Ina J. DeSoto

Ina J. DeSoto, 92, a resident of Canandaigua, formerly of Pittsford, passed away peacefully on April 25, 2023 at her home surrounded by her loving family. She was the beloved wife of the late Alfred DeSoto. They shared 56 years together. She was a wonderful mother whose children and grandchildren adored her. She is survived by her children, Linda Culliton (Mitchell Silver), Karen DeSoto (Dan Myers), Aileen and Robert DeSoto; her grandchildren Kevin, Christopher, Thomas, Mitchell, Conner, Hannah and Emma; her sister Betty Butcher, predeceased sisters Dolores and Anita. She leaves many nieces and nephews including Robin, Donn, Liza, Jeffrey, Steve, Melinda, Tiffany; sister-in-law Maria and nieces Renee and Robyn, and many wonderful friends.

Ina’s life was filled with adventures, many displayed in her art, stories, and letters.  Her sense of humor and special brilliance drew many to her as their friend, confidant, or adopted Mother.  Along with her dedication to family, she advocated for social justice and respecting our earth. She was passionate about preserving what we have and passing on that love of nature to friends and family.

Ina graduated from the University of Michigan and became an elementary school teacher. Those college years brought her to her future husband Alfred and forged life-long friendships.

Ina loved to laugh, and would recite lines from favorite movies, Seinfeld, Doc Martin, The Martian, Happy Gilmore, and “I’ll be Back” (Terminator). She loved to write and tell stories. Her most anticipated works were often her Christmas letters that humorously depicted the latest “DeSoto debacle.”

Ina expressed her special talent for artistry using many different types of media and styles. She worked with tile, pencil drawings, acrylic paints, but her use of watercolor was undoubtedly her favorite. Her most treasured life works were family events captured from the DeSoto homestead on Fishers Road. Ina cherished the beauty surrounding her and interpreted what she saw onto canvas.

Special family memories include gardening, bird watching, playing Boggle, raising orphaned wildlife, family pets, sledding, skating on the pond, camping trips to Sebago Lake, the Adirondacks, and Florida vacations.

Please share your memorable stories of Ina with the family on her wall, humor is what kept her world turning.

A gathering will be held at the David A Doser Funeral Home on June 17, 2023.  Please join her family for visitation with family from 11:00am to 1:00pm. Immediately following at the Doser Funeral home, there will be a celebration of life with time for family and friends to share memories of Ina. Please keep stories to 3 to 5 minutes.  We know this is too short a time, so please send your longer stories to be shared with her family to kldesoto2@gmail.com. To honor Ina’s colorful life, please feel free NOT to wear black.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to Citizens’ Climate Education, www.citizensclimateeducation.org or Population Connection, www.populationconnnection.org

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Ina J. DeSoto, please visit our floral store.