Obituary of Justina Sais

Justina (Tina) Sais, 88, passed away of November 23, 2024.  She was predeceased by her husband William, as well as her parents Felix and Francisca (Correa) Ocasio, siblings Angel, Damian, Pilar, Olegorio, Jose and Maria, son in law Joseph Maiello.  She is survived by her children William Roger (Svetlana Filatova) and Irene Maiello. Grandchildren, Jake and Cecilia Maiello. Siblings, Carmen, Efren, Felicita, Juan, Amelia, Fernando, Ernesto & Irene.

Justina was born in Bayamon, Puerto Rico and at the age of thirteen she came to live with her Tia Cecilia in Brooklyn, NY.  After graduating high school, she went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts from Brooklyn College and years later after when her youngest child started school, she went back to pursue her master’s degree in teaching from Hunter College and then the College of Staten Island.  She had a passion for art and painting oil paintings.  For many years she participated in the annual Snug Harbor fence show displaying her work.  A few years ago, one of her pieces was displayed at the Staten Island Museum for one of their art shows.

Justina had various of jobs over the years, including a bookkeeper for Otis Elevators, the Staten Island Children’s Museum helping design exhibits (when it was located in a small store front in St. George), an account manager for Merrill Lynch, substitute teacher for the Department of Education (DOE) and going on to teaching for a program with the DOE called “Learning To Read Through The Arts”.  Years later after retiring she became a volunteer reading teacher at P.S. 18 & P.S. 19.

To celebrate the life Justina lived and the legacy she left, a memorial service will be held on Saturday, November 30^th, 2024 at 10:30am, at Olivet Presbyterian Church, Staten Island, NY.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center on Justina’s behalf.