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November 17, 2010
Services
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, November 23 at 9AM from the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne then to Saint Mary’s RC Church, Pompton Lakes where at 10 AM a Funeral Mass will be offered.
Friends may visit with the family at the funeral home on Sunday, Nov. 21 from 3 to 6pm and on Monday, Nov. 22 from 2 to 4pm and 7 to 9pm.
Salvatore “Sal” DiGiovanni age 90 of Riverdale passed away on November 17, 2010 at home.
In October he became ill with a heart condition and the family honored his request to remain at home in a loving atmosphere. His passing was graciously peaceful after receiving the loving care of his wife Annunziata, “Nancy”.
He was born in a farming community in Bisacquino, Palermo, Italy where he spent his childhood years and received his formal education.
He served in the Italian Army and was stationed in Genoa, Italy for several years where he served as a censor, record keeper and messenger.
The family had a farm of their own and over time it became impossible to make a living as a farmer. He simply concluded that he had enough of life in war torn Italy. Sal had heard many stories about the wonderful opportunities for a good life and the possibilities of free enterprise in America and moved to Brooklyn, New York at the age of thirty-four, after waiting many years for his immigration papers. It did not take him long to adjust to this new way of American living.
He had an entrepreneurial spirit that he could not develop in Italy but saw an opportunity to do so in America. He opened DiGiovanni’s Delicatessen with his nephew in Ridgewood, Brooklyn, NY and made a good living.
His first wife Giuseppina DiGiovanni was taken ill and died in January 1981. After a period of loneliness as a widower a friend introduced him to this beautiful girl named “Nancy” Aureli who was also widowed and after a six month courtship they married on March 5, 1984. They recently celebrated twenty-five years of “good and loving” marriage together.
Sal was gifted with a loud and “passionate” voice coupled with a wonderful sense of humor. He enjoyed reading his daily Progresso (the Italian language newspaper). He spent many hours socializing and playing card games such as Briscola with friends. His favorite expression was “Fugghedabotit”.
His favorite pastime was to visit casinos to play slot machines. Occasionally, he even won a few jackpots!
His dedication was to his family whom he loved with all of his heart. He was a very good cook and his famous recipe was escarole and bean soup. His most special dish was pasta with traditional red sauce.
He developed a good old American spirit for sports and adopted the Yankee baseball Team and well as the New York Jets and Giants football teams. They have not noticed yet, but they have lost their most ardent fan, Sal.
Salvatore was devoted to his Roman Catholic Faith and was a Parishioner of Saint Mary’s RC Church in Pompton Lakes. He had a very special dedication to Saint Anthony and the Madonna of Bisacquino of his native town of Italy.
He loved his grandchildren with all of his heart and would reserve bragging rights for his namesake grandson Salvatore.
Sal maintained a garden and grew the absolutely best vegetables and tomatoes to treat his family. He planted flowers and several trees in his daughter’s backyard including fig and peach. He enjoyed tinkering in the garage and working on household repairs. He also enjoyed the family cats and dog.
Great sadness struck his life when his only son Andrew DiGiovanni suddenly died of an aneurism on September 7, 1997.
Surviving to mourn this special person are his loving wife Nancy (Annunziata nee Silano-Aureli) DiGiovanni; his daughter-in-law Antoinette DiGiovanni; one stepdaughter Cynthia Aureli and her husband Charles Ingoglia; one stepson Richard Aureli of Queens, New York; eight grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
Those planning an expression of sympathy in Salvatore’s memory are asked to consider Saint Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. For a photo and more information visit www.vandermay.com.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, November 23 at 9AM from the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne then to Saint Mary’s RC Church, Pompton Lakes where at 10 AM a Funeral Mass will be offered.
Friends may visit with the family at the funeral home on Sunday, Nov. 21 from 3 to 6pm and on Monday, Nov. 22 from 2 to 4pm and 7 to 9pm.
November 17, 2010
Services
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, November 23 at 9AM from the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne then to Saint Mary’s RC Church, Pompton Lakes where at 10 AM a Funeral Mass will be offered.
Friends may visit with the family at the funeral home on Sunday, Nov. 21 from 3 to 6pm and on Monday, Nov. 22 from 2 to 4pm and 7 to 9pm.
Salvatore “Sal” DiGiovanni age 90 of Riverdale passed away on November 17, 2010 at home.
In October he became ill with a heart condition and the family honored his request to remain at home in a loving atmosphere. His passing was graciously peaceful after receiving the loving care of his wife Annunziata, “Nancy”.
He was born in a farming community in Bisacquino, Palermo, Italy where he spent his childhood years and received his formal education.
He served in the Italian Army and was stationed in Genoa, Italy for several years where he served as a censor, record keeper and messenger.
The family had a farm of their own and over time it became impossible to make a living as a farmer. He simply concluded that he had enough of life in war torn Italy. Sal had heard many stories about the wonderful opportunities for a good life and the possibilities of free enterprise in America and moved to Brooklyn, New York at the age of thirty-four, after waiting many years for his immigration papers. It did not take him long to adjust to this new way of American living.
He had an entrepreneurial spirit that he could not develop in Italy but saw an opportunity to do so in America. He opened DiGiovanni’s Delicatessen with his nephew in Ridgewood, Brooklyn, NY and made a good living.
His first wife Giuseppina DiGiovanni was taken ill and died in January 1981. After a period of loneliness as a widower a friend introduced him to this beautiful girl named “Nancy” Aureli who was also widowed and after a six month courtship they married on March 5, 1984. They recently celebrated twenty-five years of “good and loving” marriage together.
Sal was gifted with a loud and “passionate” voice coupled with a wonderful sense of humor. He enjoyed reading his daily Progresso (the Italian language newspaper). He spent many hours socializing and playing card games such as Briscola with friends. His favorite expression was “Fugghedabotit”.
His favorite pastime was to visit casinos to play slot machines. Occasionally, he even won a few jackpots!
His dedication was to his family whom he loved with all of his heart. He was a very good cook and his famous recipe was escarole and bean soup. His most special dish was pasta with traditional red sauce.
He developed a good old American spirit for sports and adopted the Yankee baseball Team and well as the New York Jets and Giants football teams. They have not noticed yet, but they have lost their most ardent fan, Sal.
Salvatore was devoted to his Roman Catholic Faith and was a Parishioner of Saint Mary’s RC Church in Pompton Lakes. He had a very special dedication to Saint Anthony and the Madonna of Bisacquino of his native town of Italy.
He loved his grandchildren with all of his heart and would reserve bragging rights for his namesake grandson Salvatore.
Sal maintained a garden and grew the absolutely best vegetables and tomatoes to treat his family. He planted flowers and several trees in his daughter’s backyard including fig and peach. He enjoyed tinkering in the garage and working on household repairs. He also enjoyed the family cats and dog.
Great sadness struck his life when his only son Andrew DiGiovanni suddenly died of an aneurism on September 7, 1997.
Surviving to mourn this special person are his loving wife Nancy (Annunziata nee Silano-Aureli) DiGiovanni; his daughter-in-law Antoinette DiGiovanni; one stepdaughter Cynthia Aureli and her husband Charles Ingoglia; one stepson Richard Aureli of Queens, New York; eight grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
Those planning an expression of sympathy in Salvatore’s memory are asked to consider Saint Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. For a photo and more information visit www.vandermay.com.
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