A celebration of her life for former Amityville resident Erna Torney was held in California Dec. 18, 2009 at Holy Innocents Episcopal Church, Corte Madera. Erna Sittler Torney, who was raised in Amityville, died in her home Nov. 23, 2009 surrounded by family. Born Dec. 9, 1918, Mrs. Torney was raised in Amityville, where she ice-skated on the “crick” in her backyard, rode motorboats across the Great South Bay to the Unqua Corinthian Yacht Club heading and withstood teasing from four older brothers. A graduate of Pratt Institute, she signed on with the American Red Cross during WWII and was assigned to a B-24 airbase near Flixton/Bungay in England. It was there she met and fell in love with pilot Jack Torney. The two were married in England on Valentine’s Day, 1945. Following the war, the couple settled in Kentfield,California to raise their family. During this time in her life, Mrs. Torney put her Pratt degree to use first as an art teacher, then as a Kindergarten teacher in San Rafael Schools. She found her spiritual home in Holy Innocents Episcopal Church in Corte Madera in 1955, and was a member of the Altar Guild and Treasure Mart from the start. Upon retirement from teaching, she kept busy with the Treasure Mart, San Francisco Opera Guild and Russian Chamber Orchestra. “My mother was rarely without her camera so friends and family oftenreceived lovingly assembled collages or photo albums documenting every occasion,” said her son Christopher. “She was a lover of classical music and the opera, and was a voracious reader with a daily, relentless pursuit of the crosswords and Jumbles.” Mrs. Torney was predeceased by her husband Jack, and is survived by her four sons, Eric, Richard and his wife Tracy, Chris and his wife Julie and Gary, all of California. Seven grandchildren, two great-granddaughters and many, many friends touched by her love, strength, positive spirit and generosity, also survive her, said her family.
Erna Sittler Torney, in an undated photo.