Portville Hall of Fame
Joanne Nasuta was born on January 26th, 1941, in Olean, N.Y. Joanne was
the second of three children born to her parents, Joseph and Nellie Glover
Nasuta of Portville. The Nasutas owned and operated Liberty Cleaners and
Acme Restaurant Supply in Portville.
Joanne attended the one-room school at Bedford Corners until the 4th grade,
then the old Portville School (where the Portville Manor & LL League fields
are located). She finished her education at Portville Central School after the
consolidation was completed in the 1950’s, graduating with the Class of 1959.
Joanne was involved in just about everything in high school:
Class Secretary 1, 2, 3 & 4
Latin Club 1 & 2
FHA 1 & 2, FHA President 2
Student Council 1
Hall Monitor 1 & 2
Library Club 1
Intramurals 1, 2, 3 & 4
Managers Club 1
Cheerleading 2 & 3
Yearbook Club 2, 3 & 4
Chorus 2, 3 & 4
Drama Club 3 & 4, Junior Play
Trampoline Club 2 & 3
Newspaper Club 3 & 4
National Honor Society 1, 2, 3 & 4
Continuing her education after high school, Joanne attended the New Penn
Beauty School, Jamestown Community College, and Real Estate Agent
Continuing Education Licensing Courses.
She owned and operated her own beauty salon for over forty years. She
started first in her home where she also assisted her father with his business,
Acme Restaurant Supply. Later she relocated to downtown Main Street in
Portville and named her salon “Adam and Eve”.
In the late 90’s, she started working as a real estate agent for E.R.A.,
formerly Century 21 Unlimited. She sold real estate for 12 years and was
voted by her peers as “Realtor of the Year” on two separate occasions, in
2007 and again in 2011. She was elected and sworn in as secretary to the
Cattaraugus Allegany County Board of Realtors. After her passing, the local
realtors presented the “Joanne Sosnowski, Your Friend In Business” award
to an area Realtor and held a ceremony in Lincoln Park in Olean where a
granite bench was dedicated in her name. The phrase “Your Friend In
Business” was the closing phrase Joanne used when she corresponded with
her fellow Realtors and clients.
Joanne had four children, all Portville graduates: Annette Piccirillo
Rintelmann (1979); Teresa Piccirillo (1981); Michael Piccirillo (1982) and
Lisa Piccirillo Snyder (1984).
She met her husband, Donald Sosnowski, in 1983, and they were married in
October at 152 South Main Street in Portville.
Joanne also had four step-children with Donald: Rosemary Sosnowski;
Bonny Stanage, Richard Sosnowski, and John Sosnowski. John is a Portville
graduate (1984).
Joanne found great fulfilment in giving to those in need and she often
adopted a family during the holidays. She served as a board member for the
local Cosmetologist and Hairdressers Association and Jayncees in Portville.
In 1990, she was presented the Golden Robe for her role in the play South
Pacific from the Olean Community Theater. The Golden Robe is presented
to a cast member who exemplifies best the spirit of the show and of the cast.
Joanne volunteered for Variety Club Telethon, Warming House, and PCS
Midget Cheerleading Coach. She was a member of The Sacred Heart Church
of Portville and St. John’s Church in Olean and taught Religious Education
(Catechism). She was a lifelong resident of Portville NY,
One of Joanne’s greatest contributions to the community may have been
more than 30 years of service to the Portville Alumni Association, serving as
secretary, treasurer, and finally, president. Joanne also served as secretary
for the Class of 1959. One of her fellow classmates, stated, “when we were
freshmen, Joanne Nasuta was elected class secretary and she served as
secretary ever since. It was Joanne's devotion to her PCS classmates that
eventually resulted in the memorial brick and flag pole project for the
Portville Historical and Preservation Society at Bedford Corners.”
Joanne was proud of the success of her children and step-children and also
so many others. Hearing of others’ achievements brought her great joy and
she loved to assist others in reaching their goals. She was positive,
encouraging, and reassuring. Classmate Thom Torrey possibly said it best:
“She was the kind of glue that kept our class together.”
(As presented by Gary Swetland for Hall of Fame at the Alumni Banquet, 2016)
the second of three children born to her parents, Joseph and Nellie Glover
Nasuta of Portville. The Nasutas owned and operated Liberty Cleaners and
Acme Restaurant Supply in Portville.
Joanne attended the one-room school at Bedford Corners until the 4th grade,
then the old Portville School (where the Portville Manor & LL League fields
are located). She finished her education at Portville Central School after the
consolidation was completed in the 1950’s, graduating with the Class of 1959.
Joanne was involved in just about everything in high school:
Class Secretary 1, 2, 3 & 4
Latin Club 1 & 2
FHA 1 & 2, FHA President 2
Student Council 1
Hall Monitor 1 & 2
Library Club 1
Intramurals 1, 2, 3 & 4
Managers Club 1
Cheerleading 2 & 3
Yearbook Club 2, 3 & 4
Chorus 2, 3 & 4
Drama Club 3 & 4, Junior Play
Trampoline Club 2 & 3
Newspaper Club 3 & 4
National Honor Society 1, 2, 3 & 4
Continuing her education after high school, Joanne attended the New Penn
Beauty School, Jamestown Community College, and Real Estate Agent
Continuing Education Licensing Courses.
She owned and operated her own beauty salon for over forty years. She
started first in her home where she also assisted her father with his business,
Acme Restaurant Supply. Later she relocated to downtown Main Street in
Portville and named her salon “Adam and Eve”.
In the late 90’s, she started working as a real estate agent for E.R.A.,
formerly Century 21 Unlimited. She sold real estate for 12 years and was
voted by her peers as “Realtor of the Year” on two separate occasions, in
2007 and again in 2011. She was elected and sworn in as secretary to the
Cattaraugus Allegany County Board of Realtors. After her passing, the local
realtors presented the “Joanne Sosnowski, Your Friend In Business” award
to an area Realtor and held a ceremony in Lincoln Park in Olean where a
granite bench was dedicated in her name. The phrase “Your Friend In
Business” was the closing phrase Joanne used when she corresponded with
her fellow Realtors and clients.
Joanne had four children, all Portville graduates: Annette Piccirillo
Rintelmann (1979); Teresa Piccirillo (1981); Michael Piccirillo (1982) and
Lisa Piccirillo Snyder (1984).
She met her husband, Donald Sosnowski, in 1983, and they were married in
October at 152 South Main Street in Portville.
Joanne also had four step-children with Donald: Rosemary Sosnowski;
Bonny Stanage, Richard Sosnowski, and John Sosnowski. John is a Portville
graduate (1984).
Joanne found great fulfilment in giving to those in need and she often
adopted a family during the holidays. She served as a board member for the
local Cosmetologist and Hairdressers Association and Jayncees in Portville.
In 1990, she was presented the Golden Robe for her role in the play South
Pacific from the Olean Community Theater. The Golden Robe is presented
to a cast member who exemplifies best the spirit of the show and of the cast.
Joanne volunteered for Variety Club Telethon, Warming House, and PCS
Midget Cheerleading Coach. She was a member of The Sacred Heart Church
of Portville and St. John’s Church in Olean and taught Religious Education
(Catechism). She was a lifelong resident of Portville NY,
One of Joanne’s greatest contributions to the community may have been
more than 30 years of service to the Portville Alumni Association, serving as
secretary, treasurer, and finally, president. Joanne also served as secretary
for the Class of 1959. One of her fellow classmates, stated, “when we were
freshmen, Joanne Nasuta was elected class secretary and she served as
secretary ever since. It was Joanne's devotion to her PCS classmates that
eventually resulted in the memorial brick and flag pole project for the
Portville Historical and Preservation Society at Bedford Corners.”
Joanne was proud of the success of her children and step-children and also
so many others. Hearing of others’ achievements brought her great joy and
she loved to assist others in reaching their goals. She was positive,
encouraging, and reassuring. Classmate Thom Torrey possibly said it best:
“She was the kind of glue that kept our class together.”
(As presented by Gary Swetland for Hall of Fame at the Alumni Banquet, 2016)
| The Portville Historical and Preservation Society |
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| 17 Maple Avenue Portville, NY 14770 www.portvillehistory.org |
Portville, New York
| Joanne Nasuta Piccirillo Sosnowski PCS Hall of Fame ~ Class of 2016 |