ARIANNE DAMASCOS

COLONIE -- Arianne P. Damascos, 22, of Highland Avenue died Tuesday in Hoboken, N.J.

She was born in Brooklyn and lived in Colonie most of her life.

She received a degree in astrophysics at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy and was to have started medical school this fall at Robyn Wood Johnson Medical School of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J.

In November 1985, she and three other Colonie High School students set a fire at the school that caused $250,000 worth of damage. After pleading guilty to arson, she was granted youthful offender status and ordered to a residential program at the Northeast Parent and Child Society in Schenectady. Her attorney, Douglas Rutnik, said in court that Arianne had an I.Q. of 150 and a grade point average of 99.7 and was having problems adjusting to her freshman year at the school. A friend told the Times Union at the time, "Arianne was so naturally smart, she did not have to study. She spoke three languages: English, Greek and Spanish.

She was a former model for the Barbara Thomas Agency in Albany. She was a member of St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church in Albany and the St. Sophia Dancers and the church choir.

Survivors include her parents, Christos and Norma Mercado Damascos of Colonie; a sister, Lainie Damascos Christou of Guilderland; and her paternal grandmother, Martha Damascos of Albany, and her maternal grandparents, Petra and Tony Morales of Albany.

A service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday in St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church, with burial in Graceland Cemetery, Albany.

Calling hours 4-9 p.m. Friday in the funeral home.

Contributions may be made to the church.