Mary Ellen Tarantino 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Mary Ellen Tarantino passed away on July 6, 2023 at Shaker Place in Albany. She was born on April 8, 1938 in Saranac Lake to her parents, the late Bertha Mae Duquette and George LaDue. She came to Saratoga Springs with her family and ultimately graduated from Saratoga Springs High School. She always said some of her best memories were being with her extensive group of friends, where she would hang out at The Victoria Pool and Saratoga State Park. Mary Ellen was a dark-haired beauty with an eye for fashion, who was always beautifully pressed and dressed. 

Upon graduating high school, she attended Grace Downs Airline School and while there in NYC, she was employed by Union Carbide Corp. for two years. She returned to Saratoga Springs to take a bank teller job at the Adirondack Trust Company. She then married her beloved husband Joseph Tarantino, and they celebrated their 50th Anniversary in 2010. When her children were grown, she became employed by Congressman Gerald Solomon for 20 years. 

Her hobbies included sewing adorable dresses for her young daughters and had an eye for art with ceramics, where she made heartfelt lighted Christmas Trees. She volunteered for many organizations, one of which was running lunchroom at St. Peter’s High School. She enjoyed walks through The Avenue of Pines and Congress Park. Her daily “go-to” was Saratoga Casino where she would meet friends for lunch and would smile wryly when she had a big win at the slot machines. She loved a night out at Morton’s Restaurant with family. She enjoyed horse racing and rooting for her favorite horses. Even up to her last day driving at 84 years old, on her nightly ritual she could be seen in her black Rav4 with the designated MET15 license plate going to buy scratch off lotteries at Stewarts and then riding by her loved ones’ houses on her way home to see if they were all tucked in for the night. She will be greatly missed by her family.

She and her husband traveled to many fun places including Bermuda, Germany, Curacao Island, California, wintered in Flagler Beach, Florida and went on family vacations in Maine. 

Along with her parents, Mary Ellen was predeceased by her husband Joe Tarantino, Jr. and her brothers Albert (Bing) LaDue and Frank LaDue. She is survived by her loving daughters, Sue Jeffreys and Joanne Tarantino; her beloved grandchildren Andrew Jeffreys (Allie Cox), Mia Jeffreys (Lenny Valvano) and Aspen Witt (Jeff Ridha); her sons-in-law William Jeffreys and John Witt; and her brother Jimmy LaDue (Barbara), all who are from Saratoga Springs. She also leaves behind her brother John LaDue (Karen) from Florida; her sister-in-law Penny LaDue from Georgia; and several nieces and nephews.

Services were private.

Memorial donations may be made in her honor to thsaratoga.org online or by mail to: Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga, 683 NY-29, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.

Online remembrances may be made at burkefuneralhome.com