Kevin J. Facciarossa dies at 58; was custodian, motorcycle buff

Kevin J. Facciarossa, a custodian in the Brentwood school district and Harley-Davidson buff who loved riding and rebuilding the motorcycles, died Monday at Southside Hospital in Bay Shore. He was 58.

The cause was complications from a fall down his basement stairs Sunday, where he suffered bleeding in his brain, said his sister Lisa Facciarossa-Arbucci, 50, of Holtsville. The Brentwood resident never regained consciousness.

Born July 2, 1959, in Flushing, Queens, Facciarossa was known as “Foch” to his family and friends. His family moved to Central Islip, where he and his six brothers and sisters grew up.

“Everybody always thought we were twins,” said sister Diane Facciarossa, 57, of Central Islip, a Newsday employee who was about 17 months younger than her brother. “I was very protective of him.”

Kevin Facciarossa graduated from Central Islip High School in 1978 and worked for printing and air-conditioning companies before being hired at the Brentwood school district about five years ago, said Facciarossa-Arbucci, a former employee of New York Newsday and Newsday.

Facciarossa’s family recalled him as a goofy, caring man whose mail carrier cried when she heard of his death. He would quietly wash all the pots and pans on Christmas Eve after a 35-person feast and wear a baby bonnet on his head for laughs.

“I can actually close my eyes and see the picture,” Facciarossa-Arbucci said, chuckling.

His daughter Leah Facciarossa, 28, of Central Islip said she’d often come home to find her friends hanging out with her father.

“You could hang out with my dad as if he was your best friend, even if you didn’t know him,” she said.

Kevin Facciarossa’s love of motorcycles came from his father, Graziano, who used to take kids from the neighborhood on rides around the block, his sisters said. After a few friends got into crashes, their brother swore off motorcycles for a while, but ultimately worked to rebuild one and later bought a Harley-Davidson.

“He just loved, loved the motorcycle,” Diane Facciarossa said.

He was predeceased by his wife of more than 20 years, Loretta, who died of cancer in 2012, and his parents, Graziano and Eileen.

In addition to his sisters and daughter, he is survived by his fiancee, Kristen Devine of Brentwood; his children Evan Steffens of Lake Ronkonkoma, and Nicholas Facciarossa and Sarah Facciarossa, both of Central Islip; siblings Eileen McNamara and Jean Kinneary, both of Central Islip, Susan Ferdinand of Mount Sinai, and Daniel Facciarossa of Orlando, Florida; and three grandchildren.

Visiting is Friday from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at Moloney’s Lake Funeral Home in Lake Ronkonkoma. A Mass will be offered at St. John of God Church in Central Islip on Saturday at 10 a.m., followed by burial at Queen of All Saints Cemetery in Central Islip.