Longtime nurse Marjorie Scordino dies

Marjorie Scordino, who helped deliver thousands of babies in a near half-century career as a labor and delivery nurse, died at her Babylon home Tuesday after a long illness. She was 92.

Her son, Babylon Village Mayor Ralph Scordino, confirmed the death.

Scordino worked most of her career at West Islip's Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center. She was on hand for the first birth after the hospital opened in 1959.

Later, she delivered the hospital's first twins and first triplets. Hospital officials said 115,614 babies were born there until her retirement in 2001 at age 82.

"She ran a tight ship," said Martha Kennedy, a fellow nurse who is retired. "She directed the nurses, she directed the physicians."

As head nurse in the delivery room, Scordino had a hand in hiring many of the nurses still on duty.

On Thursday, her co-workers recalled a woman compassionate with patients and colleagues but strict about procedure.

"This wasn't a desk job," said nurse Connie Mohr. "She was actively involved, very hands-on."

As Scordino neared retirement age, she did not retire but instead returned to school, earning a bachelor's in nursing from St. Joseph's University; still on the job decades later but suffering from painful arthritis, she made small concessions.

"She would sit down for five minutes when she was tired," said nurse Debbie Lynch. "Then she'd be right back up."

And after 50 years delivering babies, her word carried weight in the ward -- even with the doctors. "When she said something, they listened," Mohr said.

Scordino kept active in her belated retirement, watching the Yankees, lunching with friends and playing the slots in Atlantic City.

She was less successful there than her late husband, Ralph O. Scordino, winner of a $250,000 jackpot, but lucky in her own way, said another son, Robert Scordino, who once at her behest retrieved a shoe from her closet stuffed with cash.

"That's my betting money," she told him.

In addition to her sons, Scordino is survived by four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Visiting hours will be Friday from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at Fredrick J. Chapey & Sons West Islip Funeral Home, 1225 Montauk Hwy.

Services will be Saturday at 9:45 a.m. at St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church in Babylon, followed by burial at St. Joseph's Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Marjorie Scordino's name may be made to Good Shepherd Hospice, 245 Old Country Rd., Melville, NY 11747.