Edward Nettleton, 67, of Kiskatom, NY, passed away suddenly while hospitalized early January 16, 2026.

He was born in Manhattan, son of Mary Niles Nettleton of Staten Island and the late Robert Nettleton. He spent many hours commuting to Stuyvesant High School in NYC to earn his diploma and briefly attended Hunter College for film production, music and French.

In 1989, he moved to Greene County to work with his brother Andy at Carmen's Restaurant in Acra. He met Joyce Lissandrello at his brother's wedding later that year and on September 7, 1991, he became her devoted husband and personal chef. They created a beautiful home and life together filled with love, laughter, cats, friends, family, cooking and lively & insightful conversation. Others often commented that it was unfair that two people who could cook so well were married to each other.

A chef by trade, Ed spent 25 years working at numerous restaurants in NYC and upstate NY; but his favorite was The Bear Café in Woodstock, where a customer once declared him "The Best Soup Maker in the World." He became a computer nerd through New Horizons Learning Center in 2001, after being diagnosed with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (a genetic form of emphysema). He then earned his associate’s in computer science in 2008,while working full-time. He was a senior software engineer at Fiserv until he retired in 2020, while continuing an online education through NY Empire State College. Recently, his love for animals led Ed to volunteering for the Greene County Animal Alliance with Joyce. He loved to ski and pilot his ultralight, which he then sold prior to receiving a double lung transplant in 2016. He then bought a Vespa, which he loved riding, much to Joyce's chagrin. He told her that he could not live a life without risk.

His ability to learn new languages started when his family spent a year in France while his father was an exchange professor in Toulouse. He learned Spanish working in kitchens and then dedicated himself to learning Italian when he and his wife started traveling there regularly to spend time with family. He had a voracious love of learning and figuring out puzzles his entire life. He was a wealth of knowledge on so many levels and a daunting opponent in any game involving facts. He always had some project going like building bluestone entry steps with an embedded compass, or stairs and superhighways for his cats.

Adored husband of Joyce Lissandrello, he is survived by sister Janice Reichert (Robert) of Yorktown Heights; and predeceased by both brother Andrew Nettleton and sister Missi Embling. He is also survived by brother-in-law John Lissandrello (Tammy) of Kiskatom, NY; Joan Crean (Joe) of Edinburg, NY; and June Lissandrello of Manhattan (widow of brother-in-law George); uncle to many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews; and father to his precious cats Bagheera and Misty.

Funeral arrangements are under the care of Robert J. Gaus of Traver & McCurry Funeral Home. Calling hours will be held on Friday from 12-2:30 p.m. at Traver & McCurry Funeral Home, 234 Jefferson Heights, Catskill, NY. At 2:30 p.m. there will be a funeral service by Deacon Mike McDonald. Interment will be in Palenville Cemetery in the spring.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Greene County Animal Alliance, POB 90, Cairo, NY 12413.

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