Stephen J. D'Amico Obituary
Our father, Stephen J. D'Amico, passed peacefully at home surrounded by his family in the afternoon of December 23, 2021.
Dad was born and raised in Gloucester in the Italian community of The Fort. The youngest of six children, it became his honor to help support his parents as the only child still home. After graduating from Central Grammar School at the wise age of fifteen, he began his commercial fishing career that night. He fished for the majority of his 60 year-career on the family-owned boat, the Ida and Joseph. He loved being on the ocean and respected her power. He taught us that family, loyalty, respect, hard work, and to give 100% were what life was about- not the number of zeros in your bank account. Lesson well learned.
Dad met and married Elizabeth "Betty" White, the love of his life, on November 4, 1956. They had a comfortable life raising four children. Every meal was homemade, and fresh fish more than we wanted (at the time). He was an amazing cook and took over whenever "in" from fishing. On stormy days, mom would pack us up in the station wagon after the radio call, "Charlie Brown, on our way home" and drive the back shore looking for the lights of the Ida coming into Gloucester.
After 46 years of marriage, we lost mom in December 2002 and Dad never fully recovered. Children, grandchildren and great grandchildren helped fill the void in his big heart. Dad was a man of great character honesty, integrity, faith and strength. He believed to always put family first and would offer advice when needed after the opening line, "may I make a suggestion?" We've all heard this through the years. His signature toast at all holidays, birthdays and family dinners was, "To those who have passed on, we love them and miss them. Buona salute a tutti. Alla famiglia." When our family chain became smaller with the passing of son-in-law Brian, and then his only grandson, Matthew, he was our strength during this time.
Dad was also champion athlete, "body-building by hard work rather than at the gym" he would joke. He and his teammate, Jerry Nicastro, were the first to ever row dories against the Canadians in what became the International Dory Races, a tradition that continues to this day. He was a multi-year seine boat champ, and even came out of retirement to be a crew member on the "Young at Heart" in honor of his late nephew Lt. Frank A D'Amico, beating the "Gondoliers" in the legendary seine boat race at St. Peter's Fiesta. Despite his other accomplishments, he was most proud to carry the St. Peter's Statue in the Fiesta Parade for nearly 40 years.
He could hit a baseball off the Talbot Rock at Stage Fort Park and was a devoted New England sports fan. He was a member of the St. Peter's Club and the Seafarers International Union.
He was the son of the late Francis D'Amico and Angela (Corso) D'Amico of Milazzo, Sicily.
He always kept his wife, parents, brothers and sisters, nieces, nephews and in-laws close to his heart. He is survived by his children Angela, wife of Michael Budrow, Francis D'Amico, Mary, wife of the late Brian White, Raymond D'Amico and girlfriend Lisa Ciaramitaro, grandchildren Briana, wife of Daniel Krawczyk, Stephanie White, Anna Budrow, sister of the late Matthew Budrow, and great grandchildren Emma and Ascher Krawczyk.
Visiting hours are on Monday, December 27, 2021, from 5-8pm in the Greely Funeral Home, 212 Washington St. Gloucester. Family and friends are cordially invited. His Funeral
Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday, December 28, 2021, in St. Ann's Church, Holy Family Parish, Gloucester, at 11am. Burial will follow in Beechbrook Cemetery.
In leu of flowers, donations can be made to the St. Peters Club, the Matthew S. Budrow Memorial Fund at Plymouth State College (NH), or the Matthew S. Budrow Scholarship Fund at Lincoln Academy (Newcastle, ME).
