Obituary of Angelo Messina

Angelo Messina, beloved father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully on December 16, 2025, in Brooklyn, New York. He was 98 years old.

Angelo was born on May 13, 1927, in Canicattì, Sicily, to the late Sebastiano and Lucia Messina. He grew up during extraordinarily difficult times and lived through the hardships of World War II, surviving bombings of his hometown. Tragically, one of those bombings took the life of his beloved mother, Lucia—a loss that shaped him deeply and stayed with him throughout his life.

In his early years in Italy, Angelo worked as a farmer, a calling he truly loved. His passion for farming never left him; even later in life, gardening brought him great joy and peace. In 1969, Angelo immigrated to the United States. Upon arriving, he joined the Local 79 Laborers Union, where he found pride and purpose in his work as a laborer.

Angelo shared a beautiful love story with his wife, Giovanna Messina, whom he had known his entire life. They were married for 62 devoted years and built a life filled with love, laughter, and family. Their happiness endured until Giovanna’s difficult passing in 2020, a loss Angelo felt profoundly.

Known as the life of the party, Angelo embraced life fully. He loved gardening, dancing, wine, and most of all, his family—especially his grandchildren, who were the pride and joy of his life. He took great satisfaction in achieving his dream of owning a Cadillac, a symbol of how far he had come; the car remains a cherished family treasure today.

Angelo was the devoted father of Lucia (Enzo) Dioguardi, Giuseppa (Tom) Jumper, and Maria Giovanna (John) Piccirillo. He was a loving grandfather to Thomas (Maria), Vincenzo (Ashley), Maria Giovanna (James), Teresa, Gabriella, and Gianna, and a proud great-grandfather to Thomas Gabriel.

Angelo Messina will be remembered for his resilience, warmth, joy for life, and unwavering love for his family. He will be deeply missed and forever held in the hearts of those who knew and loved him.

The visitation for Angelo Messina will be held at Marine Park Funeral Home on Sunday, December 21, 2025 from 2:00 to 5:00 PM & 7:00 - 9:00 PM. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday, December 22, 205 at St. Bernard Roman Catholic Church at 9:15 AM - the family will be gathering at the funeral home by 8:15 AM. The Committal Service will immediately follow the Funeral Mass at St. John Cemetery.