Natalina Pusateri, 92, a soloist and organist whose music graced more than 30 churches in the Chicago Archdiocese and was featured on the “Italian Hour” and “Italian Catholic Hour” radio programs, died Tuesday, March 21, in Lexington Health Care in Lombard. “Music was the path of her life,” said her daughter, Rosemarie Peters. “She was always happiest singing and playing the piano.” Born in Milwaukee, Mrs. Pusateri was a resident of Chicago’s West Side and later Maywood. She began her musical career with the choir at St. Patrick’s Girl’s School and later joined the choir at Our Lady of Pompeii parish, where she became the organist and choir director. Mrs. Pusateri performed at Navy Pier, Kimball Hall, the Palmer House and sang at the 1931 banquet that welcomed Italian airmen who flew into Chicago in their seaplanes, said her daughter. In Maywood, she joined St. James parish, again as a soloist, choir director and director of music for school plays. Mrs. Pusateri was a member of the Diocese’s Liturgical Music Commission and served under the direction of four cardinals. Mrs. Pusateri is also survived by a son, Joseph; eight grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren. Visitation will be from 3 to 9 p.m. Friday in Pedersen-Ryberg Mortuary, 435 N. York St., Elmhurst. Services will be at 8:45 a.m. Saturday in the mortuary with mass at 9:30 a.m. in Visitation Catholic Church, 779 S. York St., Elmhurst.
