Share this obituary

Send condolences

Visitation
Tuesday, Sep 01, 2015
5:00 PM

Funeral Service
Wednesday, Sep 02, 2015
10:00 AM


Cosmo "Corky" J. Fratello
Died: August 29, 2015
Send Flowers
Cosmo J. Fratello, 89, of the Town of Niagara, NY, passed away on August 29, 2015 at Mount St. Mary’s Hospital in Lewiston, NY. Born in Niagara Falls, NY, he was the loving son of the late Joseph and Margaret (Gaeta) Fratello.

Corky, as he’s known to his family and friends, attended local schools and graduated from the former St. Mary’s High School in 1944. Following high school, Cosmo served in the United States Army-Air Corps until his honorable discharge on June 30, 1946. On November 13, 1948 he married Josephine “Jo” L. (Steinbach) Fratello at St. Joseph’s Church in Niagara Falls, who predeceased him on February 16, 2011. Cosmo received his Bachelor’s Degree, as well as his Master’s Degree in Vocational Technical Education from Buffalo State College.

Cosmo was employed as a professor and the head of the Ophthalmic Dispensing Curriculum at Erie Community College in Buffalo, NY. As a New York State Licensed Ophthalmic Dispenser and Contact Lens practitioner, Cosmo was a dispenser for several companies throughout Western New York. He was also the co-author of the Dictionary of Ophthalmic Optics which he published along with Arthur H. Keeney and Robert E. Hagman in 1995. In recognition for all of his achievements and success throughout his years of teaching and business, Corky was presented the Joseph Bruneni Memorial Education Achievement Award, formerly the “Educator of the Year Award,” in 2007 in Las Vegas, NV.

Cosmo was a devout Catholic and longtime member of St. Vincent DePaul Parish at St. Leo’s Church in Niagara Falls, where he served as an extraordinary minister and lector. He was a member of several ophthalmic organizations including the NYS Society of Optician, Contact Lens Society of NYS and the NYS Board for Ophthalmic Dispensing, where he served two five year terms as president. He also served on the NYS Board of Ophthalmic Licensing committee for 10 years as an auxiliary consultant who participated in the semi-annual exams for opticians and was an extended board member who oversaw disciplinary issues throughout the profession. Cosmo was also a longtime member of the Niagara County Sportsman Club, the LaSalle Sportsman Club, patron of the NRA and was a former president and member of the Town of Niagara Lions Club. He also belonged to the HAM Radio Club and was an amateur radio operator of KD2BBY. Corky also served on the Town of Niagara Zoning Board of Appeals for several years.

Mr. Fratello is survived by his five children Joseph (Kay) Fratello of Owenton KY, Susan (Paul) McCoy of East Lake, Ohio, Alfred (Kathryn) Fratello of Niagara Falls, NY, David (Lynn) Fratello of Owenton KY, Mary (Joel) Milleville of Niagara Falls, NY; eight grandchildren, Nicholas Fratello, Holly Jo (Will) Hill, Hannah McCoy, Michelle (Nick) Abel, Lou Fratello, Julie (Keith) Eberly, Matthew Milleville, Rebecca Milleville; four step-grandchildren Paul McCoy, John McCoy, Stephen (Lisa) Przepiora and Peter Przepiora; and 26 great grandchildren. Cosmo is also survived by one sister, Joan Fratello, sister-in-law, Linda Fratello, as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by two siblings, Anna Maria