Maria Chindamo Harrison
SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY- Maria Chindamo Harrison, 96, passed away on Monday, May 25, 2026, at Saratoga Hospital.
Maria was born in Loja, Ecuador, on June 8, 1929. She grew up with her mother, Balbina Suarez, her sister Philomena, and her brothers Juan and Pablo. In 1952, she moved to Virginia to attend Averett College. After completing her studies, she relocated to Manhattan, New York, where she worked at Fiduciary Trust and New York Hospital. Maria would often visit her friend Haiti in Queens NY. It was through Haiti that she met Joseph Chindamo, who would become her husband. After two years of courtship, they married in 1958. Maria embraced her new family and its traditions, including learning to cook Italian dishes with the help of her mother‑in‑law and sister‑in‑law. She and Joseph welcomed their first son, Frankie, in 1959; their second son, Stephen, in 1963; and their youngest, Robert, in 1964.
In 1960, Maria and Joseph purchased their first home in Howard Beach, Queens, where she lived until 2009. During the 1960s, she worked as a Doctor’s Receptionist before transitioning to education. In 1972, she became a Resource Center Coordinator at Beach Channel High School in Rockaway, New York, a position she held until her retirement in 1992. The family’s life in Howard Beach was marked by stability and community until Joseph’s death from cancer in 1981. In 1984, while still teaching at Beach Channel, Maria met Bill Harrison, who would become her second husband. Maria and Bill moved to Saratoga Springs in 2009 and remained together until Bill’s passing in 2014.
Maria and Bill traveled the world on the People2People student ambassadorship program, introducing hundreds of young people to cultures around the globe. She was also the editor of the newsletter for the United Nations Women’s Guild, where she met with diplomats, ambassadors, and first ladies. Maria later served as Director of Protocol for the AirlineAmbassadors.com, where she would want charitable donations to be sent. She was featured prominently in the book, Wings of Love, by Nancy Rivard, president of the Airline Ambassadors.
In Saratoga Springs, Maria quickly became an active and recognizable presence. She served on the board of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center and helped organize numerous charitable events. As a member of the local garden club, she contributed to beautification efforts throughout the city. She was also a devoted parishioner at St. Clement’s Church, faithfully attending the Sunday 4 p.m. Mass. Known for her elegance and sociability, Maria enjoyed attending galas, brunches, and the Saratoga Race Track with her close friends, who were affectionately known around town as the “Glam Squad.”
Maria is survived by her sons Stephen and Frankie, and by her grandchildren, Sara and Robert. She endured the loss of her youngest son, Robert, in 2000, a grief she carried with quiet strength. Throughout her long life, Maria was defined by her generosity, her resilience, and her ability to form lasting connections. Her presence will be deeply missed by her family and by the many people whose lives she touched.
A viewing was held on Thursday, May 28 at the William J. Burke & Sons/Bussing & Cunniff Funeral Homes, 628 North Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 (518-584-5373). A funeral Mass will take place Friday, May 29, at 10 a.m. at St. Clement’s Church. Maria’s ashes will be interred with those of her beloved son Robert at Mount Saint Mary Cemetery in Flushing, New York.
Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com.
