Obituary of Maria Giuseppina Interlandi-Reno

Maria Interlandi-Reno, a devoted educator, visionary leader, and beloved wife, loving daughter and sister and bonus Mom passed away leaving behind a legacy of compassion, excellence, and unwavering dedication to children and her family.

Maria is survived by her loving husband, Christopher Reno, and was a devoted bonus mother to Jonathan and Alexa Reno. She leaves behind her parents, Alfonsa and Santo Interlandi; her siblings, Francesca Interlandi and Sal Interlandi and his wife Laura; and her cherished nieces and nephews—Gabrielle, Thomas, Nicholas, Aria, Luka, and Willow. She is also survived by 27 first cousins, many Aunts and Uncles, and a large extended Italian American family who loved her deeply. Maria was a treasured part of the glue that held generations together through hard work, honesty, and the Italian American traditions that shaped their lives.

Her remarkable career in the New York City Public Schools began in 2000 after graduating from the College of Staten Island. From her very first days at P.S. 172 as a classroom teacher, Maria’s passion for learning, literacy, and equity was unmistakable. She soon joined P.S. 94, where her exceptional gifts as an educator and advocate quickly led her into leadership. As assistant principal, she championed dual-language and multilingual learner programs, ensuring students’ home languages and identities were honored as powerful assets. Her expertise guided not only her own school, but also neighboring schools seeking to build their own bilingual programs.

In 2015, Maria became Director of Early Childhood Education for the District 15 Superintendent’s team, leading the rollout of Pre-K centers and designing nurturing, high-quality learning environments for the district’s youngest students. Her visionary leadership was recognized again in 2018 when she was appointed Principal of P.S. 124.  Maria devoted herself completely to every role she embraced—educator, mentor, leader, and trusted thought partner. Her legacy lives on in the voices of the children she empowered and the educators she inspired. She reminded everyone around her that education is not only about learning—it is about belonging, hope, and possibility.

Maria and Christopher found one another later in life—he nearly 50, she newly 40—and both considered themselves blessed to have discovered a love so certain and immediate. Their first date was on a Friday. The second came the next day. By Sunday, they shared lunch and planned a trip to Greece three weeks later. Within a month, they were living together, inseparable from that moment on. They always knew they would spend the rest of their lives together; they just never imagined “the rest of their lives” would be only six precious years. Maria made Christopher a better man, father, and son, and he looks forward to the day they are together again in heaven. The couple married on July 15, 2022, in an intimate yet lavish ceremony at the Grand Hotel Tremezzo on Lake Como, Italy—a celebration as beautiful and timeless as their love surrounded by their closest family members.

Maria was fiercely loyal to her Mother and Father, Alfonsa and Santo,  and Brother and Sister, Salvatore and Francesca , endlessly generous, and deeply loved by all who had the privilege of knowing her. Her absence leaves an immeasurable void, but her spirit endures in the communities she strengthened, the children she uplifted, and the countless lives she touched.

Funeral arrangements are as follows:

Matthew Funeral Home

Staten Island, New York

Wednesday, December 3, 2025

Visitation: 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Funeral Mass

St. Anne’s Church

101 Cromwell Avenue

Staten Island, New York 10304

Thursday, December 4, 2025 at 10:00am 

Interment to follow at:

Moravian Cemetery

Staten Island, New York

Family and friends are invited to join in celebrating her life, offering prayers, sharing memories, and surrounding her with the love she so generously gave to others. May she rest in eternal peace.