Frank Petrozzi
October 03, 1921 - August 05, 2012
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Frank Petrozzi
October 03, 1921 - August 05, 2012
Obituary
Frank Petrozzi was born in Vensseux, France on October 3, 1921. He was the youngest of 9 children – 3 boys and 6 girls. When Frank was 6 weeks old his father took the family back to war torn Sora, Italy. His sisters, Louise and Marquerite went back to France. They later married and established families in France. A couple of Frank’s other siblings, John and Domenick, emigrated to the US.
Frank worked on the family farm from the time he was a young child until he left Italy. During World War II he was a cook in the Italian army. Frank met Mary Tersigni, the love of his life, in 1945. They had a courtship in which the saw each other only a couple of times a month. They were married three years later on January 18, 1948. His first daughter Anna was born on October 5, 1948.
Wanting a better life for his wife and daughter Anna, Frank came to US in 1951. He didn’t know a word of English when he came to America. Approximately 9 months later, Mary and Anna joined him. When the family arrived in the US they lived in Schenectady, New York. Here Frank and Mary’s second daughter, Rosemary, was born on February 19, 1956 and their son Phil was born on August 15, 1958.
Willing to work hard Frank started in the construction trade as a ‘ditch digger.’ He worked his way up the ladder and eventually became a partner in the Impala Construction Company. The construction company renovated and built homes, schools, and stores.
Frank and his family moved to Detroit, Michigan so he could work at Ford Motor Co. He worked the swing shift at Ford and construction during the day.
Following Phil’s graduation from high school, Frank, Mary, and Phil moved to California to be near Anna and Rosemary. At the age of 55 Frank opened the business Windmill Liquor and Deli with his wife Mary, daughter Anna, and son-in-law Mike. When the family business was sold, about 3 years later, he went to work at Alpha Beta.
Throughout his life, Frank was always doing construction side jobs with his wife Mary beside him. Additionally, with his wife Mary, Frank designed and built a total of three homes for the family.
His heart saddened with the loss of his daughter Rosemary on November 25, 2006. He took care of his wife Mary when she became ill with Parkinson’s disease and dementia. No one took care of his wife better than he did. Mary died on February 16, 2010. Frank was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2010, after his wife’s death. Frank died on August 5, 2012. He was always willing to help his children, grandchildren, and friends. No task was too small, tedious, tiring, or boring. He will be missed by all those who knew and loved him dearly.
12 responses to Frank Petrozzi
Valerie M. Dawson says:
August 16, 2012
To Anna and Phil and all the Petrozzis and Waughs. I am so sorry for your loss and for our loss. Your dad was the last parent to go and we are all orphans now. He was an amazing and loving friend who always smiled when greeting me and my husband, Donnie. He was like a grandpa to our children – Kimberly, Kelly and Kevin. He treated me like an adopted daughter. I consider myself family especially since the day my sister, Hope Moylan, married Phil Petrozzi, Frank Petrozzi’s only son back on Jan. 9, 1981.
So Frank had this soulmate wife Mary and they blessed the marriage of Phil and Hope. In addition to their smart and high achieving son, Frank and Mary had two lovely daughters, Anna and Rosemary. Frank and Mary raised their three children to be close and loving. When they became grandparents, they cared and doted on their 9 grandchildren. They made sure to participate in every family event to show their love and devotion to their growing family. They were tight. Along with Mary, Frank treated my sister Hope like she was a blood daughter, not an in-law daughter. He went further and embraced her whole family – my dad and mom, me, my brother and eventually, all of our beloved kids like we were all also his blood relatives.
Frank, always treasured FAMILY. Frank and Mary encouraged traditonal and impromptu family gatherings. I’m talking homemade pizza parties, make homemade pasta and gnocchi gatherings together and eat out-of-this world delicious spaghetti fun times. It could be Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Ground Hogs Day and the new neighbor’s birthday. Each Italian feast was special! Frank helped to set up rows of dinner tables and chairs at his home or at Anna and Mike Waugh’s to accommodate these large parties of hungry friends. Frank was not a party drinking kind of guy. He was a quiet, elegant, and personable man who smiled and shared an embrace and kiss on the cheek with me and other family and was genuinely glad you showed up to eat and join the dinner party. Frank was generous in giving of his talents especially his expertise in construction work. Frank helped my parents to re-shingle their roof and cement their expansive front yard. He helped many others. Frank worked hard and was usually accompanied by his strong, competent wife, Mary. They were really soulmates on all levels. He really missed her when she passed 2 1/2 years ago. Together, they both held each other up when they lost their beloved daughter Rosemary. Frank didn’t like to burden his family. He kept smiling and he tried hard to stay with us all. He’s gone now but he is with Mary so how can we deny him this happiness? Plus, he’s also with Rosemary and also his parents and all those loved ones he had to part with early during his long 90 years on earth.
Frank, gather my parents with you and Mary and Rosemary at those festive pizza parties I know you’re giving up there in heaven. I look forward to seeing once again, Frank, and when I do, I know you will greet me again with that familiar smile. May you enjoy eternal rest and don’t work too hard on those construction projects for St. Peter. Love, Valerie
Linda McCutcheon Chaplin says:
January 1, 2013
Lit a candle in memory of Frank Petrozzi