John Bligh
- Retired paraprofessional
Acacia Audinot, a retired paraprofessional who worked at two schools in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, died of natural causes on March 28, 2024. She was 99.
Acacia began her education career as a paraprofessional at what is now called PS 1 and transferred to IS 136, said Enid Petriccione, one of her daughters. She spent a total of 20 years at the schools, retiring in January 1990.
“She was very devoted and involved in seeing that the children of IS 136 received a quality education,” said Louis Ominelli, a retired social studies teacher who worked with Acacia.
Petriccione said her mother became a paraprofessional because “she loved working with the kids.”
Before she became a paraprofessional, Acacia was a school crossing guard for IS 136. She also was well known in the neighborhood and school community because she was PTA president at PS 1 (which was called PS 2 at the time) when Petriccione and her three siblings – Vivian, Vincent and Leila – were growing up.
“Everybody knew her in the neighborhood,” Petriccione said. “She would go on the train sometimes and would bump into former students.”
Acacia, a native of Puerto Rico, moved to Orlando, Florida, after retiring, Petriccione said. She loved being with family and traveling. She especially enjoyed taking cruises to the Caribbean.
In addition to her four children, Acacia is survived by eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Donations can be made in Acacia’s name to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.
