Joanne Selvaggio

Joanne Margaret Selvaggio passed away on December 8, 2022 at age 80 in her home in Fairport. Joanne was born on June 9, 1942 and grew up in Irondequoit, N.Y. She graduated from Ben Franklin High School in Rochester in 1960 and Alfred State Technical College in 1963, pursuing a career in science. Joanne worked for decades at the University of Rochester as a laboratory technician until she retired in 1997. 

Joanne was a caring and generous soul, who dedicated her life to spending time with family and friends. In the years after she retired, Joanne traveled everywhere from Alaska to Russia to the nearby Finger Lakes. Like her mother, Joanne excelled in cooking and baking, carefully making the gnocchi, manicotti and pizzelle cookies she was raised to love. 

She loved to garden and savored her time ushering for the Eastman Theatre, where she could get a glimpse of the orchestra playing. She also ushered at the Geva Theatre. Joanne looked forward to her weekly Mahjong game with a close-knit group of her friends, and to spending time with close friends and family. 

Joanne is predeceased by her father and mother, Sam and Susan Altavena (Rivoli). She is survived by her son, Stephen Joseph Selvaggio (Tara) of Palmyra and her daughter, Nancy Eileen Robertson (Carl) of Fairport. She is also survived by her brother Paul Altavena (Sherri) and many nieces and nephews, Amelia Altavena (Jeff), Lily Altavena, Madison Hilt (Jack), Brooklyn Mohr, Adam Mohr, Anthony Selvaggio, Mary Fyles (Selvaggio) and Gina Selvaggio. She loved her many cousins, including Riley Wilcox (Pam), Gary Rivoli (Kendra), and Ronald Rivoli (Kay). 

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