Valerie K. Cardona

Valerie K. Cardona of Southold died at home Mother’s Day, May 11, 2014, after a long-term illness. She was 75. 

She was born Dec. 23, 1938, in Passaic, N.J., to Peter and Jane (Zdankowski) Kovalcik and married Charles Cardona Jr. on Dec. 29, 1963, in Huntington. For 20 years, she lived in Medford and Amityville before moving to the North Fork 40 years ago.

Valerie received her B.S. in Music Education from Crane School of Music in Potsdam and did her graduate work at Hofstra University and C.W. Post.

Valerie had been a church organist at the Cutchogue Presbyterian Church, Our Lady of Ostrabrama R.C. Church and others. She was also a public school music teacher and substitute teacher at Shelter Island, Southold and Patchogue Schools.

Valerie was active in programs for the handicapped and appeared at local and state level hearings. As a result, she initiated several local and state funded programs for the handicapped and their job training.

She was a member of the AHRC (Association for the Help of Retarded Children), AGO (American Guild of Organists) and was a communicant of Our Lady of Ostrabrama R.C. Church.

Surviving are her husband, Charles Cardona Jr.; four sons; Charles Cardona III of Calverton, Peter Cardona of Hollywood, Md., John Cardona of Aquebogue and Michael Cardona of Southold; a sister, Laura Howard, of Saugerties, N.Y., and six grandchildren: Christopher, Nicholas, Matthew, Danielle, Cordell and Catlin.

The family received visitors May 14 at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold. The Liturgy of Christian Burial took place May 15 at Our Lady of Ostrabrama R.C. Church in Cutchogue. Interment took place at Sacred Heart R.C. Cemetery in Cutchogue.

This is a paid notice.