Vitaliano “Vito” Sebastian Roccapriore

05/18/2022

Vitaliano “Vito” Sebastian Roccapriore, age 87, passed peacefully on Wednesday, May 18, 2022, in Virginia Beach where he lived for the past two years. He was born on March 31, 1935, in Meriden, CT. He was the son of the late Vitaliano Sr. and Josephine (Amato) Roccapriore.

Vito was a graduate of Our Lady of Mount Carmel School and H.C. Wilcox Technical School, class of 1954. He attended Barber School and subsequently worked as a barber until he was offered a job at Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. He worked as a Sales Representative at MetLife for over 20 years. His true passion was working with his technical aptitude and therefore excelled as the lead CNC operator at Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation in Stratford. He worked on paramount projects for Sikorsky’s first-class helicopters, including the Black Hawk, until he retired. He continued staying busy after retirement as a driver busing the active seniors at Masonicare in Wallingford.

In his earlier years, Vito was a member of the Society for the Preservation and Propagation of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in the U.S. (S.P.P.B.S.Q.S.U.S.). He was a member of the “Jolly Rocks” Barber Shop Quartet and performed as their bass singer in Barber Shop competitions with his three brothers: Joe, Vic, and Gerry.

Vito is survived by his partner of 26 years, Kathryn Benedict; his six children and their spouses: Daniel, Diane Breen, Teresa Vitelli,

Vincent, Anthony (Tera) and Marie Shanahan (Erik); 12 grandchildren: Carl, Nicholas, Charissa, Bridget, Mary, Joseph, Jaclyn, Ashley, Alessandra, Nathaniel, Angelique and Rose; and 2 great-grandsons: Joseph and Robert. He is also survived by his sister, Sr. Marie Roccapriore. He was predeceased by his parents, his brothers: Joseph Claudio, Frank, Joe, Gerald, Victor and Richard; his son, Peter Roccapriore and his granddaughter, Margaret.

Family and friends may pay their respects on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, from 5 to 7p.m. at the John J. Ferry & Sons Funeral Home, 88 East Main St., Meriden, CT 06450. A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Wednesday, May 25th at 11a.m. at Our Lady Queen of Angels Parish, Mt. Carmel Campus, 109 Goodwill Ave., Meriden, CT 06451. Everyone is asked to meet directly at church. Burial will follow in St. Sebastian Cemetery, 75 Meriden Rd., Rockfall, CT. For online condolences, please visit jferryfh.com.