Nicola Veltri passed away on February 19, 2025 at the age of 86. He was born in Santa Barbara, Cosenza, Italy on August 21, 1938. For 57 years, he was the loving husband of Grazia Ann Veltri, beloved father of Albert (Becky) Veltri M.D. and Laura (Michael) Hamann, devoted grandfather to Nicola (Brooke) Veltri, Evan Veltri, Sophia Veltri and Seth Hamann and great granddaughter Nadia Grace Veltri. He was a cherished brother, cousin and friend.Nick spent his early years growing up with 5 sisters in southern Italy. He emigrated to the United States at the age of 13 to join family in Ohio where the school put him in the kindergarten class to learn English. He told many stories about how the humiliation of being in a class with 5 year olds as a teenager made him determined to succeed in this country. From there, he went to trade school in New York to learn the sheet metal trade and he also discovered a love of racing and Ferrari's Formula 1 team in his spare time. He was drafted into the Army in the early 1960s and used his earnings to buy his dream car, a convertible Austin Heely, as he left two years later. He went to New York City and worked his trade for a few years before marrying Grazia Ann in 1967 soon after she arrived from the same region of Italy. They lived in the Bronx, NY among many Italian "paisanos" while raising Albert and Laura. They have great memories fishing in Pelham Bay and trips to Oyster beach with family on weekends. Nick owned his business, Airflow Control, in Queens and spent over 20 years installing sheet metal ventilation systems throughout Manhattan and the burrows of New York City. He watched in horror from the roof of one of his jobs as the twin towers fell on 9/11 and forever changed the city and many people he knew and loved. Nick was a family man who would do anything for his family or those of his sisters and friends. He was always willing to lend a hand, a ride or a listening ear. He would preface many stories by saying "I'm a simple man" or remind us he didn't have alot of higher education. The "smarts" he learned couldn't have been taught in school anyway. He and Ann worked hard to make sure their kids could get the schooling they weren't able to have. He loved to credit Ann saying, "If I gave her a nickel, she could squeeze a dime out of it." He loved hosting the family soppressata making weekends and wouldn't miss one of the huge holiday gatherings with family whether they were in Long Island, his own house in Scarsdale, where they had moved, or in New Jersey. He was immensely proud of his family, his Italian Heritage and his family back "home." He retired in 2005 and he and Ann spent summers back in Belmonte, Italy where they built a home overlooking the ocean on family land. The time spent there was a well deserved rest after a lifetime of hard work and sacrifice. Going back as a retired man, he realized his life had come full-circle from the 13 year old boy he was when he left. He enjoyed taking his kids and grandkids there and showing them all the places where they grew up and how they would spend their time chasing lichettes, fishing or making olive oil.In 2012, they moved to Chesterfield, MO to be closer to their kids and grandkids in the Midwest. He remained baffled that you had to "call for" a cab out here and that people would actually leave pennies and "even a qwahta" by gas station cash registers. He spent his last years enjoying grandkids and using free wood from Home Depot shipping crates to make benches, planters, bird houses and anything that was needed to make a job around the house easier. His family will always say "fuggeddaboudit" and "issssssa no good" in his New York accent and smile at his memory. He has left a hole in our hearts but also a profound sense of gratitude for his example, his love, and the many years we had him. Services: Funeral from the SCHRADER Funeral Home and Crematory, 14960 Manchester Road at Holloway, Ballwin, Monday, 9:30 a.m. to St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church, Ellisville, for 10:00 a.m. Mass. Entombment Holy Cross Mausoleum. If desired, contributions may be made to St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church or Masses preferred. Visitation Sunday 4-8 p.m. Friends may sign the family’s on-line guestbook at Schrader.com.
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