Vincent Blaise Ceci

Vincent Blaise Ceci passed away peacefully on January 21, 2026, surrounded by family. He was born in East New York, Brooklyn, the eldest son of Philomena and James Ceci. He enjoyed a childhood of stickball, church dances, double-bill movies, and his role as baritone in a corner-stoop quartet.

In his teens, Vincent took the subway to Manhattan to attend Industrial Arts High School, during which time he apprenticed in the production of typeset and mechanicals. After earning his degree from The Cooper Union, he proceeded to become a graphic Design Director at Push Pin Studios, Macmillan Publishing, and Scholastic, Inc. — establishing lifelong friends, and garnering a variety of industry accolades throughout.

Following his retirement, he helped found and coach the tennis team at St. Thomas Aquinas College in Sparkill, NY. He loved his years of weekly golf outings with his buddies, and was a longtime member of the Nyack Field Club, where he enjoyed many years of racquet sports and camaraderie. His artistic talents continued to express themselves through the unfailing creation of personalized cards for key occasions. His primary recipient, Susan, maintains her complete-set from their 52 years together. This includes her last birthday card - sketched with a wobbly hand just this January, from his hospital bed.

A perennial Dodgers-turned-Mets fan, Vincent routinely provided all the perseverance and expletives that task required. His time in the kitchen was his meditation, mastering the art of recipe-free meals to the enjoyment of us all. Jazz and Baroque music were his soundtrack. McSorley’s Ale House was his SoHo touchstone until the end. His family was everything to him; we will all miss him terribly.

He is survived by the love of his life, wife Susan, son James Ceci (Dianna), son Frank Ceci (Alba), daughter Cecilia Zelinski (Chris), son Christian Ceci (Sandy), daughter Dana Prinz (Mike), seven grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren, as well as his sisters Grace and Theresa, brother Thomas, numerous nieces and nephews and predeceased by brother Gregory.

A family celebration was held in his honor. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Vincent’s memory to The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art - an institution he appreciated and benefited from greatly -- by clicking here (please direct any such gifts to “Art Annual Fund”, found in the drop-down of “Step 1”). Alternately, checks may be payable to: P.O. Box 22422, New York, NY 10087.

His professional bio can be found here.