Mary Theresa Legorie Casatelli, 83, of Tarpon Springs, FL died Tuesday 6/3/2020 at home. Mary was born in Jersey City, NJ and lived in Hillsdale, NJ prior to moving to Tarpon Springs in 1997. Mary and her husband, Alex, were high school sweethearts who married in 1956 and had 3 sons.

Raising a child with a developmental disability in the 1960’s & 70’s, Mary faced many problems, including her son’s medical issues and his education. In the 1960’s intellectually disabled people were not thought worth the cost of an education. Mary felt her disabled son deserved, and was entitled to, an education appropriate to his needs just as her other sons were. The Superintendent of the Manasquan, NJ school district was the first person to encounter her determination when her son was refused admission to school in 1965. Mary had her son tested by private experts and assured the Superintendent that she would picket on the steps of the NJ State Assembly Building “in the nude if need be” to get media attention to the situation. Upon further review, the school district determined that he was indeed ready for school. Chris ‘graduated’ from Pascack Valley High School in Hillsdale, NJ in 1978. Through her determination and perseverance, Mary overcame every obstacle as it presented itself.

A tragic event occurred on June 6, 1980. Several hours after her youngest son’s high school graduation, he was killed in an automobile accident. That accident had the effect of focusing Mary’s calling in life. Realizing that should something happen to them, her son would lose his home and family, Mary and Alex, discussed their concerns and thoughts about the solution to an issue every parent of a disabled child worries about with Jim and Mary McGuire, who were the parents of 2 developmentally disabled adults. In 1981, Mary and Alex cofounded New Concepts for Living, Inc. with the Maguires and two other couples. New Concepts for living is a non-profit agency providing residential services for developmentally and intellectually disabled adults in northern New Jersey. New Concepts opened their first home in Hillsdale, NJ in 1985. Chris moved into the Westwood House when it opened in 1986 and lived there until 1997. In 1997, Alex’s health necessitated a move to a warmer climate. Upon moving to Florida, Mary and Alex discovered that there was a great need for residential services for developmentally disabled in the Suncoast region of Florida. In March, 1998 Mary and Alex founded Hope Enterprises of America, Inc., a non-profit agency providing services to developmentally and intellectually disabled adults.

After raising her sons and helping run the family decorating business, Mary started her professional career working for a vitamin company as the purchasing manager’s secretary earning $12K/year. Three weeks later when her boss was fired, Mary went to his boss and told him she wanted the job. She offered to do the job for six months, bringing all final decisions to him for approval, at her current salary. At the end of six months, he would either fire her or give her the job of purchasing manager at the same rate her old boss had been paid. Six months later she was earning $80K/year. Mary worked for Ford Labs and Purolator before becoming Director of Purchasing at Barr Laboratories in Pomona, NY where she remained until her retirement in 1996.

Mary was preceded in death by her son Douglas, husband Alex, granddaughter Raven and great-grandson, Caleb. She is survived by 2 sons, Alex M and Chris; 8 grandchildren, Misty, Cheryl, Chris, Elisheba, David, Sasha, Sara, and Alan; and 7 great-grandchildren, Aidan, Gavin, Hinata, Ciel, Byron, Mariyah, and Arianna. It was Mary’s wish that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Hope Enterprises of America, Inc., 1629, Gulf Rd, Tarpon Springs, FL 34689 to continue her dream of a better life for persons with developmental disabilities.-