Colette G. Romano

Colette G. Romano, age 74, passed away peacefully on January 31, 2025, at The Greenfields Continuing Care Community in Lancaster, New York, after a long battle with an illness.

Born on January 14, 1951, in New Brunswick, New Jersey, to a proud All-American, Irish-Catholic family, Colette was the daughter of William E. Griffin, Sr., and Josephine (Kane) Griffin. She attended St. Agnes School in Towanda, Pennsylvania, for grammar school and then graduated from Towanda Senior High School in 1968. She furthered her education on a full scholarship to Misericordia University in Dallas, Pennsylvania, where she studied Sociology and graduated magna cum laude in 1972. Upon graduation, Colette enrolled in the University at Buffalo, the State University of New York, on a full scholarship and earned a Master’s Degree in Education in 1973.

In 1974, Colette married her college sweetheart that she met on a blind date, Anthony M. Romano of Syracuse, New York, and settled in the Buffalo, New York area. Colette held several positions in Human Resources Management and Labor Relations Management throughout her accomplished forty-year career. She worked at F.N. Burt Company; Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations; Hospice & Palliative Care Buffalo; Personnel Resource Management Consulting; Sheehan Memorial Hospital; FedEx Corporation; and finished her career at Child & Family Services of Erie County, Inc. Furthermore, Colette incorporated and maintained a Human Resources consulting business, Griffin Associates, serving clients across Western New York, and she authored a regular column on various Human Resources topics for Buffalo Business First and other periodicals.

In addition to her professional achievements, Colette was known throughout her life for her kindness, generosity, and compassion. She cherished – above all else – her time with family and friends, including with her husband, Tony; her daughter, Katie; her son, Nick; and caring for the late family dog, Allie Mae. During the summer, you could find Colette playing tennis on courts throughout Western New York, satisfying her sweet tooth with ice cream, or taking a ride with her husband, Tony, in their convertible. During the winter, you could find her solving the world’s problems and catching up with friends over playing cards or going to Friday family dinner. Colette was also an avid reader of fiction, and she never watched a crime drama she did not enjoy (or solve).

Colette is predeceased by her parents and her two older brothers, Dr. Michael J. Griffin of State College, Pennsylvania, and Timothy J. Griffin of Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania. She is survived by her husband, Anthony; her daughter, Katelyn L. Batton (husband, William) of Indian Land, South Carolina; her son, Nicholas A. Romano, Esq., of Buffalo, New York; and two grandchildren, Sienna Margaret Batton and Maddox John Batton of Indian Land, South Carolina. Also surviving Colette are her sister, Joellen A. Kule (husband, David) of Laporte, Pennsylvania; her brother, William E. Griffin, Jr., of Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania; three sisters-in-law, Patricia A. Griffin of Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania; Laura P. Griffin of State College, Pennsylvania; and Rita A. Romano of Manlius, New York; and several beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

On Thursday, April 10, 2025, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. the family will receive friends at the New Comer Funeral Home, 5090 Transit Road, Depew, New York 14043. On Saturday, April 12, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. a “Celebration of Life” Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Ann’s Catholic Church, 104 Academy Street, Manlius, New York 13104. Following the Mass, Colette’s ashes will be interred at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery & Mausoleum, 4100 East Genesee Street, Syracuse, New York 13214.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org. Each year, Colette’s family participates in The Walk to End Alzheimer’s and memorial donations in her honor are welcomed to their team, “The Griffin Gang.” The family extends its heartfelt appreciation to the caring staffs at The Greenfields Continuing Care Community and Hospice & Palliative Care Buffalo who both made Colette’s final days more comfortable.