John F. Natarelli

He was born on February 11, 1937 in Little Falls, NY, to Valentino and Mary (Malagisi). John grew up in and was educated in Little Falls schools, and attended colleges in Utica, NY and Iowa.

John was united in marriage to the love of his life, Barbara, on September 29, 1995 in Ilion, NY. They resided in Ilion for a short time after, and once Barbara retired they moved into their dream retirement home in Chatham, where they have lived since.

Mr. Natarelli spent a majority of his working years at General Electric in Utica, NY and Mohawk Data Sciences in East Herkimer. He retired from Lockheed Martin in the mid-1990s and never looked back.

During his time in the valley, John enjoyed golf, bowling, trips to the Adirondacks, hanging out with his pals in Little Falls, and coaching his son, John, while he was in Little League in Herkimer. After moving to Cape Cod he continued to golf, garden and took pride in keeping up his own lawn until he could no longer do so earlier this year. Of course he and Barbara had plenty of time to do things that they both enjoyed, including drives around the Cape, trips throughout New England, spending time outdoors (including with their dogs Jacob and Toby) and eating out at their favorite local restaurants. In addition, both were active members of First United Methodist Church in Chatham. And no matter where he was, he loved his Syracuse Orange and Boston Red Sox!

The most important things to John and Barbara, however, will always be family and friends. John always spoke of the amazing friends that he and Barb made during their time in the valley and on the Cape. They would see their friends frequently, lend a helping hand when needed, have dinner and a few drinks with and laugh - which meant the world to them. And then there’s family. John grew up in a large Italian family in upstate New York. Aunts, Uncles and cousins were aplenty. Growing up he made strong bonds with many, staying in touch regularly throughout the years. Even after retiring to the Cape those bonds never diminished. Lastly, he cherished spending time with his two grandchildren, Will and Bree, during their visits to Cape Cod. Papa was very proud of their accomplishments in both school and sports, and enjoyed seeing their growth through the years. Papa will be missed, but we will never forget the impact he made in all of our lives.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Mary, and his father, Valentino. He is survived by his loving wife, Barbara, and his son, John and his wife Leslie of Arlington, TX, two grandchildren, Will and Bree, his sister, Congetta Smith of East Herkimer, NY, niece, Mariann Smith of San Diego, CA, nephew, Jimmy Smith of East Herkimer, NY, and his beloved dog Toby.

John’s family would like to thank his friends and neighbors not only for their support, but also continuously offering a helping hand throughout this painful time. Additionally we’d like to thank the various health aids of Home Instead Senior Care who helped John while he was at home in hospice care and Chatham Fire Rescue for their continued assistance.

At this time the family wishes for a private, graveside service for family and friends. The time and location will be determined at a later time. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to Chatham Fire Association, P.O. Box 751 Chatham, MA 02633.