Senatro D. LaBella

Mr. Senatro D. LaBella, of Utica and New Hartford, passed away on Monday, March 05, 2007, at the Charles T. Sitrin Healthcare Center after a short illness. Born in Utica, Senatro was the son of the late Rocco M. and Stella Iacovino LaBella. Having received his elementary and secondary education in Utica schools, he graduated from Utica Free Academy. He was awarded a BA with Honors from Middlebury College in 1940 and his MA from Cornell University in 1941. He was invited to attend a seminar in Europe on Comparative Literature and seminars in Open Education in London in 1974 and in Puerto Rico in 1975. Mr. LaBella began his career in education in 1944 as a teacher of French and English in Port Leyden. He entered the Utica City School District as an English teacher at T.R. Proctor High School. In 1955 he was appointed Head of the English Department, a position he held until 1967 when he became Assistant Principal at Proctor. After three years as an administrator at the high school, Mr. LaBella was appointed Director of Secondary Education for the district. While serving in this capacity from 1970-1984, he was responsible for many improvements in the curriculum offered at each of the city’s three high schools, Utica Free Academy, T.R. Proctor High School, and John F. Kennedy High School: he reinstated the study of Latin and German, and expanded the Foreign Language Department, particularly the study of Italian, and developed and promoted the Advanced Placement program. In the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, Utica College invited Mr. LaBella to represent the Italian-American community on an advisory board established to institute ethnic studies courses at the college; these courses were to reflect the prominent ethnic groups in the local community. The board’s efforts resulted in the successful initiation of the Italian-American Studies program at the college. Within that curriculum, Mr. LaBella taught a course in Twentieth Century Italian-American Novels for a number of years. Mr. LaBella was a member of the Utica Teachers Association, at one time serving on the organization’s Executive Board and then as its President from 1967-1969. He was a member of the NYS Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and served in the preparation of the state’s English Regents Examinations. He was a charter member of the Colgate Regional Council of Teachers of English and served on its Board of Directors from 1964-1968. He was a charter member of the NYS English Council and the National Council of Teachers of English as well as a life member of the National Education Association. In 1976 he was selected for inclusion in Who’s Who in America, first edition of School Officials. At his retirement dinner in 1984, he was presented with a Governor’s citation for his contributions to education, particularly for his success as an English teacher and for his services in the preparation of the NYS English Regents examinations. After his retirement, he became a life member of the NYS Retired Teachers Association. During the 1940’s and early 1950’s, Mr. LaBella was active in The Players Club of Utica, participating as an actor in various roles, working on numerous committees, and serving on the Board of Directors for two years. He was a life member of the Utica Chapter of the Knights of Columbus of both its Third and Fourth Degree Assemblies. He was a past member of the Board of Directors of the Utica Opera Guild, and of the Board of Directors of the United Fund. He was a member of the American-Italian Heritage Association and frequently spoke on Italian-American customs, traditions, heritage, writers, and literature at the group’s conventions and meetings. He was also an active member of the Utica Y.M.C.A. Mr. LaBella was a member and communicant of Historic Old St. John’s Church for well over fifty years, during which time he was active on its Parish Council and the Liturgical Committee. He also served as a regular lector from the time when lay readers were first introduced into the liturgy of the Mass. When Msgr. Donovan was pastor, Senatro was instrumental in re-introducing a sung Latin Mass at St. John’s on the first Sunday of each month. Mr. LaBella will be remembered as a devoted son and brother, caring for and fulfilling the needs of his two sisters. Through his affiliation with the Catholic Near East Welfare Association, he contributed to the education of two East India priests, helping them from their early years as students to their respective ordinations to the priesthood of the Roman Catholic Church. Senatro is survived by a sister, Mary; three nephews and their wives, Felix, Jr. and Jackie of Utica, Louis and Lisa of New Hartford, and Rick and Magteld of Marietta, GA; and six great-nieces and great-nephews. He was predeceased by a sister, Helen; and a brother and sister-in-law, Felix and Marianne LaBella. In accordance with Mr. LaBella’s wishes, please omit floral offerings. Friends are requested to consider contributions to either the Organ Fund or the Memorial Fund at Historic Old St. John’s Church; envelopes will be available at the service. The family would like to thank Dr. William Jorgensen, Dr. Tatjana Mondom, Dr. Alicia DeTraglia, the staff of St. Elizabeth Medical Center/3B, and Dr. Kevin Mathews of the Palliative Care Team for the outstanding care and compassion they have given. A special invitation is extended to Mr. LaBella’s friends and his former students to attend the concelebrated Mass of Christian Burial which will be offered in his memory on Saturday morning at 10:30 at Historic Old St. John’s Church. The family will receive visitors at the conclusion of the service. Interment will take place in Calvary Cemetery at the convenience of the family. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Eannace Funeral Home, Inc., 932 South St., corner of Hammond Ave.

Senatro D. LaBella

March 5, 2007