Paying tribute to Tony Cristello upon the occasion of being honored as part of a special Memorial Tribute during the 28th Annual Schenectady City School District Athletic Hall of Fame and Reunion Dinner

Senate Resolution No. 2303

BY: Senator TEDISCO

        PAYING tribute to Tony Cristello upon the occasion
        of  being  honored  as  part  of  a special Memorial
        Tribute during  the  28th  Annual  Schenectady  City
        School  District  Athletic  Hall of Fame and Reunion
        Dinner on September 14, 2026

  WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to  recognize  and
pay  tribute to those who captured the images which inspired and brought
pride to their  schools  and  communities  through  artistic  endeavors,
attaining  unprecedented  publicity,  and  the highest level of personal
success; and

  WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and  in  full  accord  with  its
long-standing  traditions,  this Legislative Body is justly proud to pay
tribute to Tony Cristello upon the occasion of being honored as part  of
a  special  Memorial  Tribute  during  the  28th Annual Schenectady City
School District Athletic Hall of Fame  and  Reunion  Dinner  on  Monday,
September  14,  2026,  at  the Event Center at Rivers Casino & Resort in
Schenectady, New York; and

  WHEREAS, Excellence and success photographing competitive sports can
be achieved only  through  strenuous  attention  to  detail,  effort  to
develop  one's  craft,  and an immense pride in surrounding communities,
nurtured by dedicated practice and strategic planning; and

  WHEREAS, Tony Cristello was born on September 28, 1942, in the  City
of  Schenectady,  and  attended  Mont Pleasant High School where he made
friends who lasted him throughout the rest of  his  life,  often  coming
back  together  to the Schenectady City School District Athletic Hall of
Fame and Reunion Dinners; and

  WHEREAS, Tony Cristello pursued his interest in art at the New  York
State  University  at  Albany, prior to helping his mother operate their
family  restaurant,  Cristello's,  a  staple  in   the   Mont   Pleasant
neighborhood; and

  WHEREAS,  Following working at the family restaurant, Tony Cristello
spent many years working as a draftsman at the General Electric company;
and

  WHEREAS, Throughout Cristello's life, he produced oil paintings  and
pastels,  many of which featured horses and are currently on display all
around the Saratoga region; and

  WHEREAS, Tony Cristello's artwork was not only confined to  horse's,
as  he  produced  many  of  the  collages  to  honor  inductees  in  the
Schenectady City School District Athletic Hall of Fame, created  tribute
painting  which  brought  recognition  to  Schenectady High School State
Championship basketball teams, and put countless  hours  decorating  the
trophy cases at Schenectady High School; and

  WHEREAS,   Much  of  Tony  Cristello's  work  is  still  on  display
throughout the Schenectady  City  School  District,  including  numerous
pieces in Schenectady High School and Woodlawn Elementary; and

  WHEREAS,  Tony Cristello passed away peacefully on October 23, 2025,
with his loving family by his side, and  is  remembered  fondly  by  all
those  who  were  fortunate  enough  to  be  a  part  of  his life; now,
therefore, be it

  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
pay tribute to Tony Cristello upon the occasion of being honored as part
of  a  special  Memorial Tribute during the 28th Annual Schenectady City
School District Athletic Hall of Fame and  Reunion  Dinner;  and  be  it
further

  RESOLVED,  That  copies  of  this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the family members of Tony Cristello.