Hope Giordano Catalano, 88, of Mahasset and Westhampton Beach died peacefully in her sleep at home on Thursday, April 9. She is predeceased by her loving husband of 38 years, Paul Catalano, and is survived by her sister Joy Billhardt and her daughters Dawn Hale of New Jersey, Joy Hepburn of New Jersey, and Deirdre Olsen of New York.
In her professional life, Hope worked as a model, an educator, a humanitarian, an editor and an entrepreneur. Her interest in philanthropy led her to create the Baby Love foundation, which served homeless expectant mothers. Through Smile Train, she restored the smiles to over one hundred children. She co-founded, edited and published North Shore Magazine for twenty years, highlighting the life and residents of Long Island’s Gold Coast. Hope was happiest in the midst of her large family. Her favorite role was that of “Gamma” to grandchildren Faith, Dylan, Charlotte, Grace, JP, Jake, Gavin, Cameron and Karyna, and great-grandchildren Nellie Hope, Theo and Mica, frequently telling them “Family isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.”
Hope’s life will be celebrated at a future date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the National Foundation for Ecodermal Dysplasias at nfed.org
