Anthony Campanile, age 94, of Sparkill, NY; formerly of Brooklyn, passed away on December 29, 2023. He was born in Mola di Bari, Italy, the second child of Sante and Angela Campanile. At the age of 19 he came to the United States, where he lived in Carroll Gardens and worked as a longshoreman and as a candy maker. He later transferred his knowledge of candy coatings to the pharmaceutical industry.
In 1954, Anthony married Domenica Recchia. They were inseparable and enjoyed 66 years of marriage until her passing in April of 2020.
Anthony is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Angelo and Samantha, and his four grandsons: Michael, Gabrial, Isaiah, and Ezra. He will also be missed by his brothers, Frank(Margaret), Nick(Anne), and Joseph(Joanne), and many nieces and nephews. Anthony was predeceased by his dear son Sandy, his sisters Gilda and Cecilia, and his brother-in-law, and lifelong friend, Dominick.
Visiting hours are Tuesday, January 2, 2024 from 4-8 pm at Pizzi Funeral Home, 120 Paris Avenue, Northvale, NJ.
A Funeral Service will be held Wednesday, January 3, 2024 at 11 am at Pizzi Funeral Home with entombment to follow at Green-Wood Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations for The Dominican Sisters of Sparkill, Joe Raso Hospice Residence or Memorial Sloan Kettering, www.mskcc.org.
www.pizzifuneralhome.com
Loving brother, father figure as a young boy growing up. Offered sound advice whether you liked it or not. He was the patriarch of the family and was always there if you needed help. Tony will be missed but never forgotten. His life stories will live on forever, and we will share them with the younger generation. We will be forever grateful for what he did for our families. We love you Big Brother. Love, Joe Campanile
My brother Joe mostly said it all, I would just like to add that he was more than a brother. He was more like a father and not just because of a significant age difference between us. While raising a family of his own he made sure to set time aside to help my parents get adjusted to a new life.He really loved and cared for us younger siblings and understood that my parents were really challenged raising a family in a new land, learning a new language and a whole new way of life.
What success and happiness that we enjoy today individually and as a family, we owe it to Tony Campanile, my beloved brother.
We will miss you Tony, forever with us in spirit and in our hearts.
RIP in eternal life.
When I think of Uncle Tony or “Zio Compare” as my brother Frank and I called him, I think of family. Not only was he our uncle but he was our godfather and he was the best godfather anyone could ever ask for. His words of wisdom and his true affection for his family was something beyond special. Growing up we spent almost every Sunday and all the holidays together. He was like a second father to us and we will miss him deeply. Rest in peace Zio Compare.
During the Second World War, Anthony battled and overcame a serious typhus illness. He went to a nautical school to train as a merchant marine officer,in Italy. In that school ,he learned English, and also heard about the magnet that was America and decided to join his father there. He got a job and went to night school where he quickly expanded his knowledge of grammatical English, which was to serve him well in his future adventures, especially in the pharmaceutical industry as head of the manufacturing department.
Looking back, our dad in America and the rest of the family in Italy, were separated
by the war. This is where Tony showed his leadership as head of the family at a very young age. Our mother was very thankful and proud of how a young man acted with such humility and maturity. On a personal level, I have learned so much from this wonderful brother that a book can be written about it. His legacy will live on.
Your loving brother
Frank
Zio Campare,
With a heavy heart I write this about my Godfather. For many years I would marvel at the stories Uncle Tony would tell. Many years of hardship as a young man coming to America without knowing the language and finding work in a new country. I would be so fascinated at the sharp recall he had of his experiences. When my father and then my mother became ill, he would always encourage me to stay strong. Now as he and Zia Camara and my parents have left us, I look at my own family and smile because I believe that without their guidance, Na and I would not have such a great family of our own. Oh how I will miss those stories…Na and I want to thank Angelo and Samantha for their constant updates through this tough time. Love you brother!
Whenever I tell friends that I had an uncle that was 94 or grandparents that were born in the late 1800s and early 1900s, they look at me like I’m crazy. “Are you sure? That just can’t be right!” The Campanile family is so incredible in that it’s expanded and thrived so much because, like many have said before, of the sacrifices that our grandparents and Uncle Tony made for our family. It’s expected that parents (albeit my grandparents) make sacrifices for their family in times of war and hardship, but when an older brother takes the reigns and acts as a father figure, it‘a a sign of amazing character.
Uncle Tony was beyond special. Since Matt and I never had a chance to meet Nonno Sante, Uncle Tony became like a grandfather to us and he certainly was like a father to my dad, when he lost his own father at such a young age. I was so happy that he was able to attend mine and Jeremy’s wedding at 91 years old and that he got a chance to meet Hailey. The video of the two of them having a “walker race” at Dowling Gardens is one that I will treasure forever.
Uncle Tony was a story teller. I vividly remember being in the third grade and interviewing Nonni on her immigration to the United States. Uncle Tony helped to filled in the gaps and gave us all the information we needed. These stories and the passion behind moving here and chasing the American dream, ultimately led me to study abroad in Italy and visit Mola multiple times. I was so passionate about our ancestry and where our family was from and much of that was because of him.
Uncle Tony’s legacy and stories will live on as they are passed down to future generations. His life is one to celebrate. Thank you for helping to keep our family so tight knit and for all of the opportunities you provided us through the sacrifices you made. You will be truly missed.
I would love to thank Angelo for the opportunity to have meet your dad. He touched me, he was a wonderful person. Anthony told me about his life when he came to America. He loved his family with all his heart. I know that he is resting in peace with his beautiful wife.
Susanne