Texarkana parish office manager dies July 1

Published: July 22, 2016

Janet Daddato

Janet T. Daddato, who worked 30 years at St. Edward Church in Texarkana as a secretary and then office manager, died July 1. She was 77.

Daddato was born on May 7, 1939, in New York City. She grew up in the Bronx, moving to Texarkana in 1969 with her family. She was married to John Daddato, who died in 2004, and the couple had two children. While working at a jewelry store, she heard then-pastor at St. Edward, Father Robert Dienert, needed full-time help in the office. She left the jewelry store to work at the church in 1986, furthering her education by taking management courses at Texarkana College. She did all the office work manually.

This year marked the 30th year of Daddato’s employment at St. Edward, where she monitored financial accounts, paid bills, did the bookkeeping and directed personnel. Daddato told Arkansas Catholic for a 2011 article that her work was “more like a ministry” and the 11 pastors she worked for throughout the years were like sons.

“I go with the flow; with each new priest you start all over again. I am never bored. I loved all the priests I’ve worked for. They are like my sons,” she said in 2011.

She was active in Silver Circle and the Over 50’s Singles Group.

She is survived by one son, Vito Daddato of Texarkana, Texas; one daughter, Teresa Dyer of Azle, Texas; two brothers, Joe Cerrato of Texarkana, Texas, and Jim Cerrato of Longview, Texas; one sister, Maureen Marino of Long Island, N.Y.; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

A visitation and rosary were held July 7 and a Mass of Christian was July 8 at St. Edward Church.