Louis J. Siciliano of North Hills: Army veteran loved music, time with family
Louis Siciliano, 87, died April 1 from complications of the coronavirus. Credit: Suzanne Formica
Louis John Siciliano was a Korean War Army veteran who loved his family, Frank Sinatra and a good cigar.
“He’d sit in the garage all day and listen to 1010 WINS or crooners like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin,” said his son, Louis E. Siciliano, 62, of New Hyde Park. “He loved all the singers, the real singers back in the day.”
Siciliano died on April 1 from complications of the coronavirus. The North Hills resident was 87.
“He is definitely missed everyday,” said his youngest daughter, Suzanne Formica, 48, of New Hyde Park. “It wasn’t his time yet.”
Born in Brooklyn in 1932, Siciliano spent six months at the Pratt Institute, where he planned to study architecture. He suggested a friend who was looking for work apply to join the Army, and Siciliano submitted his own application as well. While his friend never heard back, Siciliano was accepted, serving for four years during the Korean War on ammunition supply.
After returning to Brooklyn, Siciliano worked in freight before moving over to the Pennsylvania Railroad and joining Amtrak, where he worked as a conductor and engineer for more than 40 years.
“He was such a nice guy, and he was easygoing,” said his oldest daughter, Theresa Siciliano, 58, of Floral Park. “He loved his family.”
Louis Siciliano and his wife, Gloria, in an undated photo. Credit: Suzanne Formica
Siciliano was “a hardworking guy,” but he never forgot to make time for family. On Sundays at 2 p.m., everyone would gather at his house for dinner, which was “always pasta with something else.” Although he sometimes worked multiple jobs, he made sure his family still had time to take vacations together.
After he retired, he and his wife, Gloria, moved to Florida, where they loved going on cruises. He returned to New York after his wife died in 2019, moving to an assisted living facility in North Hills. While he lived on Long Island, Siciliano enjoyed playing pool with his family and going out to dinner with them every Saturday night.
In his spare time, he liked to watch sports, rooting for the Yankees and the Giants and sometimes taking his family to one of their games. He also followed the Mets, taking his son to Shea Stadium every year on his birthday to see the team play.
Siciliano is survived by his three children, five grandchildren, his grandson-in-law, his three nieces, his son-in-law and his daughter-in-law. His family plans to hold a memorial service at a later date.
