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44th annual Stefani-Costa family reunion

By Press Release
stefani-costa-family-reunion-2024-photo.jpg
Mary Lathan and Michelle Sisson of Caledonia, Christine Rodwell of Rush and Pat Cantiello of Rochester enjoying the 2024 Stefani-Costa Family Reunion.
Submitted photo.

Press Release:

The families of the late Baptist and Christina (Costa) Stefani, and Dominic and Johanna (Rigoni)

Costa, including Matthew Temple of Le Roy, gathered for their 44th consecutive annual family reunion at Freeman Park in Mumford on Sunday, July 28.

Both founding families made their homes in Lime Rock. Their first family reunion was held in 1981. 

After a buffet and dessert table, a short business meeting was conducted by Mary Lathan of Caledonia. Family news since last year included three high school graduations: Temple will be attending Finger Lakes Community College; Lathan of Wake Forest, North Carolina will be attending High Point University this fall; and Blair Magari of Fayetteville will be attending Le Moyne College. 

Michael Costa, of Retsof, died Saturday, December 23, 2023. He is survived by his wife, Cynthia, and children Joshua (Mandy) Costa of Retsof, and Angela (Lancing) Pascuzzo of Piffard. He was the son of Sandy and Doris Baker Costa of Buffalo.

Chris and Ann (Tracy) Publow will be leading next year’s Stefani-Costa Family Reunion.

Area family shares news of 36th annual family reunion

By Howard B. Owens

Submitted:

The families of the late Baptist and Christina (Costa) Stefani, and Dominic and Johanna (Rigoni) Costa gathered for their 36th consecutive annual family reunion at  Mumford’s Freeman Park on Sunday, July 24, 2016.  Both founding families made their homes in Lime Rock.

Christopher and Ann (Tracy) Publow of Rochester were this year’s event chairs.

After a cook-out topped off with a buffet of cookies and ice cream novelties, there was a short business meeting.  A review of family news since last year included:

Andrea Stefani, the daughter of Richard and Melanie Stefani of Batavia, married Jacob Klos of Watertown on July 18, 2015.

Samantha Blake gave birth to our newest family member, Ryder Christopher Barclay of Byron on May 16, 2016.

Twenty-month old Kate Aradine was the youngest in attendance.  She is the daughter of Jeffrey and Bethany (Pocock) Aradine of Bergen.

Bethany’s parents, Merlin and Marilyn (Costa) Pocock of Bergen were the longest married couple in attendance, at 41 years of wedded bliss.

Dorothy (Stefani) Bater of Leroy was the oldest person in attendance, followed closely by Dolores (Stefani) Lathan of Caledonia, who is one day younger.

Following the meeting, the family took photos, made spin art paintings, pelted each other in a water balloon toss, and tossed Cheetoes onto the shaving-cream covered heads of partners in a messy game of laughter and endurance (followed by cleaning each other off!).

Next year’s event chairs are Linda (Orlando) Totten of Elba, Carol (Orlando) Panepento of Pavilion, Gloria (Orlando) Oliver of Leroy, and Amy Panepento of Leroy.

Top photo: Dorothy (Stefani) Bater of Leroy, Marilyn (Costa) and Merlin Pocock of Bergen, and their granddaughter, Kate Aradine of Bergen were the oldest, longest married and youngest in attendance in this year’s Stefani-Costa family reunion.

Linda (Orlando) Totten of Elba and Ray Stefani of Holley struck a pose while enjoying the reunion’s beautiful weather

Christine (Lathan) Rodwell of Rush and Michelle Goldstin of Piffard teamed up in the Cheetoes Toss.

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