Dominick Liberio

The life of Dominick Liberio is best suited for a storybook. Born on a farm in Triggiano, Italy, on January 3, 1931, to Frank and Maria, Dominick had an older sister, Maria Susca (Giuseppe), and a younger brother Vince (Angela). With his dad going back and forth from the US, Dominick was in charge of the farm. It was not a prosperous life; he would say, “we were stuck with nothing, and when I say nothing, I mean exactly that, nothing!” Believing that “money grew on trees in the US,” Dominick decided to leave for the US when he was 17, having never been out of Triggiano by himself. His trip to the US was memorable because he experienced his first shower after he became seasick and a compassionate officer on the ship let him use the shower.

In the US, Dominick lived with his dad in Chicago and worked at Peerless Candy making hard candies. It was so hot, he would have to change his hat and shirt every two hours because they were soaked through. He described it as “sweating like a pig and working like a jackass.” Dominick decided that he “wasn’t going to be a jackass” and enrolled in night school starting at 6th grade. After completing 8th grade, he got a job at Western Electric, which is where he worked the rest of his career, and more importantly, where he met the love of his life, Bertha “Babe” Liberio. They were together for 66+ years before Babe passed away on March 17, 2021. She was his “cutie pie,” the best wife he could ever imagine.

Dominick had three kids with his cutie pie, Maria Liberio-Gianneschi (Mike Gianneschi), Bertha Giambrone (Anthony Giambrone), and Frank Liberio (Laura Townsend Ermer). His kids blessed him with eight grandchildren: Bob Gianneschi (Lisa), Dom Gianneschi (Stephanie Garges), Antonette Gianneschi-Zangara (Jonathan Zangara), Joe Giambrone (Cara Giambrone), Nick Giambrone (Theresa Giambrone), Frank Giambrone (Katherine Becker), Marissa Liberio (Matt Latawiec), and Dominick Michael (Kristen Marie Liberio). With the birth of Dominick’s first grandchild, he became “Pa.” Anyone who came to visit Pa would hear the same story, “Can you believe a poor farmer with no education could have kids and grandkids who are so successful…” He was so proud of his family. Although he had a lot of interests, Pa would never turn down a game of cards or Uno.

In addition to being Pa to eight grandkids, there are sixteen great grandchildren who also call him Pa: Gwen, Vyolet, Dominic, Jack, Rocco, Alessia, Frankie, Josephine, Chloe, Riley, Evelyn, Emmy, Ila, Graham, Lexi, and Nora. He is also a loving Zio, great Zio, and great-great Zio, to many nieces and nephews. And in the final years of his life, Pa was blessed to have a loving caregiver, Stephen, who became part of our family. 

When reflecting on his 94+ years, Pa would say, “I think we did pretty good.” Pa was being modest though, he was a fantastic person that led an equally fantastic life, as anyone who had the chance to meet him knew.

While we are all devastated by the loss, we are comforted by the fact that Pa is reunited with his cutie pie, along with the Lord and his family in heaven. We thank all of our friends and family for their kind thoughts and prayers.

Please omit flowers