Maria Cucaro
Maria Cucaro passed away peacefully on May 31, 2023.
Originally from Canada, French was her first language and later learned English. She moved to the Bay Area in February 1959. Starting life anew, she changed her name from Marie-Marguerite to Kitty and later, chose the name Maria for herself.
In 1960 she met Pat Cucaro, an artist originally from Ohio but who had settled in SF to become part of the art scene during the “beatnik” era.
After getting married at the Star of the Sea Church, they settled in Sausalito where they raised their daughter, Angelique. They rented at Princess Street from 1960 until 1989; then, they resided at Princess Lane till 1996 when they separated as Pat’s failing health required full-time care until he passed in Jan. 2004.
Maria had a lovely singing voice but rather than singing professionally, she’d sing as the mood struck her anywhere and anytime.
For diversion, they would go to Japantown, Chinatown and North Beach’s Spaghetti Factory to watch flamenco dancing.
They loved to travel, and this provided inspiration for Pat’s paintings as they voyaged throughout Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
Maria stayed in Sausalito but moved to the harbor where she lived on a sailboat and here enjoyed living a bohemian lifestyle from 1997 till Jan. 2016 after which she resided at a skilled nursing facility until her passing.
She is interred with her husband Pat at Mt. Olivet’s Catholic Cemetery in San Rafael.
You and Pat were both amazing and now you are together again. It was a pleasure to have been mentored by you.