Toby S. Cusano

In precious memory of Toby, whose abiding love for art, animals, and her family filled our lives with an appreciation for beauty and kindness. Born in 1936 to Herman and Lilian Getzel of Bronx, New York, Toby attended Bronx Science High School and graduated from Queens College Phi Beta Kappa with a bachelor's degree in English Literature.
Toby was a longtime resident of Montclair, NJ, and later, Annandale, NJ, where she lived among foxes, herons, wild turkeys, and bald eagles on the banks of the Raritan River. Toby's passion was to collect and trade in art and antiques, which provided her decades of adventure and discovery in close partnership with her husband of 61 years, Bernard.
Renowned for her keen eye and encyclopedic knowledge, she was a self-taught expert in European and Asian ceramics, and an avid collector of 19th century American art tiles, as well as paintings, drawings, lithographs, textiles, sculptures, furniture, and books excavated over forty years from the estates of New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut. At home, she completed the New York Times crossword puzzle seven days a week for as long as anyone can recall, avoided the drudgery of housework whenever possible, and eschewed television, instead following world events by reading and listening to public radio.
Toby is survived by her husband, Bernard Cusano of Greenfield, MA, daughters Nicole Cusano (Richard Andrew) of Shelburne Falls and Maria Cusano (Nelson "Burt" Beckwith) of Somerville, son Christopher (Tik Tommarongrag) of Chiang Mai, Thailand, and grandchildren Isabela, Milo, and Ben.
Arrangements are under the direction of Kostanski Funeral Home.
For condolences, please visit www.kostanskifuneralhome.com

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