Obituary of Leo J. Venditti
Leo J. Venditti, 96, of Poughkeepsie, NY, left his earthly home and entered into rest on Wednesday, September 13, 2017. He was born on May 10, 1921 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The son of Dominic and Nancy DePaola Venditti. He attended school in Brooklyn, NY and the Poughkeepsie area. He was a United States Army Veteran serving prior to and during World War II in Central Europe, Northern France and the Rhineland. He stayed with the same unit from the beginning until the end of the war in 1945, receiving the “American Defense Medal”, “European African Middle Eastern Service Medal”, along with “3 Bronze Battle Stars”, “World War II Victory Medal” and numerous commendations from his Battalion and Division. He also received the “Conspicious Service Medal” from the New York Division of Military and Naval Office. He attained the rank of 1st Sergeant. He was a proud American and eager to serve.
On April 20, 1947, he married and was the beloved husband of Sylvia Taylor Venditti at St. Mary’s Church in Poughkeepsie. Sylvia predeceased him on September 10, 1991.
Leo was a very helpful and giving person to all who knew him. He was a loving and faithful caregiver to relatives and friends. He also gave back to the community over the years by donating over 11 gallons of blood to help others in need.
Most of all Leo was a devoted and loving father to his three children, Leonard Venditti of Angier, NC, Raymond (Donna) Venditti of Austin, TX, and Norma (William) Klump of Raleigh, NC. In addition, he was a loving and caring grandfather to his three granddaughters, Danielle Steinberg, Heather Barcomb and Christina Venditti, and two great-grandsons, Jake and Jamie Steinberg. He also leaves behind several nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his brother, Vito, in 1991, his sister, Antoinette Areno, in 2004 and his brother, Paul, in 2011.
He retired from IBM in 1986 after 36 years of employment. A devout Catholic, he was a faithful member of St Martin De Porres Church where he served since its inception.
Leo enjoyed the beauty of nature and appreciated being outdoors working on his yard and grounds. He found great pleasure in tending to the various birds and wild life surrounding his home. He was a handy-man to his neighbors and all who needed assistance. He cherished his family and friends. His kindness, loyalty, generosity and irreplaceable sense of humor and adventure will be missed by all. Leo was indeed the epitome of “The Greatest Generation”.
His message to all is to be kind and help others. Give blood to those in need, make a donation to a special charity or contribute time to an organization such as Hospice of Poughkeepsie, who so gently cared for his wife during her final days. Also, do as he did with all of his children and grandchildren, take a child for a walk or a hike and absorb all of nature’s beauty and wonders to share what God has given us.
The family wishes to thank all of his doctors, nurses, caregivers, friends and neighbors who helped Leo during his final years.
Calling hours will be Monday, September 18, 2017 from 4:00-8:00 p.m. at Timothy P. Doyle Funeral Home, 371 Hooker Avenue, Poughkeepsie, NY. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Martin de Porres Church, Poughkeepsie, NY on Tuesday, September 19, 2017 at 10:00 a.m.
