Fedele V. Scutti

Fedele V. (Dale) Scutti passed away sadly and unexpectedly, February 25, 2014, at age 80. He is predeceased by his parents and his son, Jay V. Scutti. He is survived by his devoted and loving wife, Kimberlie; his son, John D. (Lorraine), grandchildren Jay, Jarred, Janea, Megan and Katelyn Scutti; his brother John J. (Mary L.), nieces and nephews and many dear friends. A native of Philadelphia, Mr. Scutti moved to Rochester, New York after serving in the Coast Guard. He worked for Gannett Newspapers on the yacht "The Widgeon" as a diesel mechanic. He then owned and operated a used car business in Webster, New York, later branching out to build automobile dealerships for Ford Motor Company and Chrysler Realty. Along the way, he also became one of the largest new car dealers in the world, owning and operating more than ten automobile franchises operating out of 36 dealerships. In addition to his love of automobiles, Mr. Scutti became extremely successful in commercial real estate development, not only in Rochester, New York, but also in California and Florida, developing over 7 million square feet. In recent years, Mr. Scutti also owned casinos in Colorado, Missouri, Mississippi, New York, New Jersey and Florida. He was also licensed in several other jurisdictions. He loved boating and enjoyed many yachts over the years. For a short period of time he was involved in the ownership and operation of one of the oldest boat manufacturing companies in the United States. Mr. Scutti may best be well known for his 1988 partnership with Merv Griffin in besting Donald Trump on his bid to overtake control of Resorts International and Paradise Island, Nassau, Bahamas. Mr. Scutti was also well known for his philanthropic and community activities both in Rochester and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. He was a major benefactor to the Mayo Clinic. He was known for his holiday gift-giving, even from the days of his car dealerships when every employee took home the fixings for a turkey dinner. For many years he donated bicycles for underprivileged children through the Broward County Sheriff's Office. A true lover of nature, he established two deep wreck diving sites off the coast of Ft. Lauderdale, the Jay Scutti Reef and the Robert Edmister Reef. Rememberances in Mr. Scutti's name may be directed to The Aquinas Institute of Rochester, 1127 Dewey Avenue, Rochester, New York 14613, for the benefit of the Jay V. Scutti Scholarship Fund.