Fr. Richard P. Biasiotto, Ofm

Biasiotto, Fr. Richard P., O.F.M. LOUDONVILLE Fr. Richard P. Biasiotto, O.F.M., 76, a professed Franciscan friar for 56 years and a priest for 51 years, died on Thursday, May 14, 2015, at Albany Memorial Hospital in Albany. Fr. Richard enjoyed preaching the gospel and ministering to the people of God at St. Francis Chapel on Wolf Road for the past 10 years while residing at the St. Bernardine of Siena Friary at Siena College in Loudonville. Born in Allentown, Pa., on November 18, 1938, to Richard and Mary (nee Martinko) Biasiotto, he was baptized Francis at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Allentown. Fr. Richard professed vows as a Franciscan friar in 1958 and was ordained a priest in 1964. He taught math and science at Walsh High School in Olean from 1965 to 1969. Relocating to Manhattan in 1969, he was director of ministries at St. Francis of Assisi Church and then served as secretary of Holy Name Province from 1973 to 1985. In 1985, Fr. Richard was assigned as pastor and guardian of St. Bonaventure Parish in Paterson, N.J. From 1991 to 1998, he served as guardian of St. Anthony Friary in Butler, N.J., where he was also director of personnel for five years. After spending a year as interim librarian at Washington Theological Union in Washington, D.C., Fr. Richard was appointed parochial vicar at St. Leo Church in Elmwood Park, N.J., where he served from 1999 to 2005. The wake will be Sunday, May 17, 2015, from 3 to 5 p.m., with a wake service at 4:30 p.m., at Siena College Chapel, 515 Loudon Road, Loudonville then on Tuesday, May 19th,2015 from 9-11am at St Anthony's RC Church in Butler, NJ followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. Burial will follow at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Butler. Fr. Biasiotto is survived by a sister, Maria Biasiotto of Caliente, Calif., and cousins, Judith McBrairty of Easton, Pa., and Peter Martinko of Coopersburg, Pa. Memorial donations may be sent to Franciscan Friars - Holy Name Province, 144 West 32nd Street, New York, NY 10001-3202.