Sarina Mae Contino, 86, of Bayside, passed away on July 8, 2021.
She was born Feb. 28, 1935 in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of George and Josephine Thorsen (Nitka).
On May 25, 1955, Sarina married Alexander Contino, of Chicago. They had one daughter, Michalene. They moved to Elkhorn in 1967, where Alexander’s parents, Nicholas and Blanche Contino, had resided since 1954.
Sarina started one of the very first Community-Based Residential Facilities in the state of Wisconsin in Elkhorn in 1979. It would remain a family business, Sarina’s Retirement Communities, until 2007. Working with the elderly had been a lifetime commitment for Sarina.
In recognition of her dedication, Sarina received the first “Chamber Member of the Year award” at the annual Chamber banquet in 1986.
The Contino’s love of Elkhorn was shown through helping others in the community. Sarina was one of the three founders of the Walworth County Humane Society and animals of all species were her great passion. The Ministry to Aging of Walworth County and the Walworth County Mental Health Association were two organizations she spent her time and resources supporting.
For five years, she served as the chairperson for the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Walworth County, seeing to all of the details for the muscular dystrophy carnivals that were very successful fundraisers for the foundation.
Sarina’s love of Walworth County – and Elkhorn – was immeasurable.
She loved her horses, and all of the rest that were lucky to be part of her menagerie, as well as gardening and traveling. Most of all she loved her family.
Sarina will be missed by her family: Michalene and Imran Niazi, of River Hills; Lea Wolf, Sebastopol, California; Alexander Niazi, Fort Collins Colorado; and Cameron Niazi, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
A memorial service will be held at noon on Wednesday, July 14, at Bay Shore Lutheran Church in Whitefish Bay.
In lieu of flowers, donations to Lakeland Animal Shelter would be appreciated.
