Daniel John Maffuccio
July 25, 1926 - February 20, 2023
A tribute to our loving father and husband, Daniel John Maffuccio, a man who loved God and his family
Donato Maffucci, our loving husband and father, (Dad), began his journey on July 25, 1926, in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, as God’s gift to Carmela Mondelli and Giuseppe Maffucci (Pa): Italian immigrants who left Monteforte Cilento, Italy for the United States, searching for a life of peace and freedom for their family. Dad was the third sibling born in the United States – Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and the sixth of eight siblings: Lucy, Frank, Mary, America, Ralph, Dad, Dominic, and Irene.
Dad never had the chance to know his mother, Carmela. She was called by God when he was an infant, and is now joined by Dad, Pa, Dad’s stepmother, Concetta Dilorenzo (our Nonna), and his siblings, friends, and family that have departed this world.
Dad spent his childhood in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. During Dad’s childhood, his sister America had his name changed from Donato Maffucci to Daniel Maffuccio. Growing up, he was closest with Ralph, his older brother who became a great influence in his life. In his last months as his memory faded, he still remembered Ralph.
Like Ralph, after graduating high school, Dad joined the Navy, which became his ticket to attending Williams College and Brown University. On June 16, 1947, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Brown. After he graduated, he went to visit Ralph in Chicago where he enjoyed the bachelor life frequenting Lake Michigan and the many amenities Chicago had to offer. He enjoyed his time with his brother and decided with Ralph’s strong persuasion to stay in Chicago and “Get a job!”
Dad responded to an ad Texaco placed in the Chicago Tribune seeking an Engineer. In December of 1947, he accepted an engineering position at the Texaco refinery in Lockport, Illinois. He spent his entire 38-year career with Texaco, enjoying life and developing everlasting friendships with those that have departed and those that continue to be part of his legacy. For Dad, “work” was always about an opportunity to meet new people, make friends, know them, and love them.
Dad continued his journey by going on a blind date with a farmer’s daughter named Shirley Mae Jungles, who happened to be working for Texaco at the Lockport, Illinois refinery. Dad and Mom were married on August 26, 1950, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Lockport, Illinois.
We will always honor Mom and Dad and their love and dedication to each other during their marriage of over 72 years. They lived Ephesians 5:21-28, “Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ…. wives should be subordinate to your husbands as to the Lord. Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the Church and handed Himself over to her……So husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife, loves himself….”
Like Pa and Nonna, Mom and Dad continued to live according to God’s plan, and received His gift to them, a loving family who began their journey in Lockport, Illinois. God blessed Mom and Dad with 3 sons, Joseph Daniel, Daniel Mark, and James Alan.
Dad and Mom raised us, with our best interests in mind, through good times, rough times, tough love, and discipline under God’s watchful eye. They provided us a wonderful life as we continued our journey in Houston, Tx., Baton Rouge, La., and Cherry Hill, NJ. Dad and Mom continued their life as empty nesters, moving to Palos Verdes, Ca. in 1977, where Dad finished his career at Texaco in 1985. In 1996, Mom and Dad moved to Anacortes, Washington, to join their close and longtime friends at Texaco, Don and Alice Schmude, until they moved to Salt Lake City, Utah in 2020 to be closer to family.
Dad spent his retirement golfing with friends and taking up art, painting beautiful land and seascapes. He remained active in church activities, attending Catholic Mass, helping with fund raising events, and giving his time to charity.
We are Dad and Mom’s legacy. It is up to us to continue their legacy by loving God, our families, and each other, through good and challenging times, and sometimes through tough love, a legacy we can pass on to our families:
Joe and his wife, Jenny.
Their daughter, Danielle, and her husband, Gavin McComb.
Their children, Ellie and Daniel Rodgers, Brock and Brody McComb.
Their son, Jeff, and his wife, Hillary.
Their children, Brandon Drashner and Joey.
Their son Jared.
Dan and his wife, Debbie.
Their daughter, Alex, and her husband, Nick Souder.
Their child, Luke Souder.
Their son, Lance, and his fiancé, Morgan East (who will be married near Volterra, Italy).
Jim and his wife, Joy.
Their son, Jordan, and his wife, Andrea.
Their children, Garrison, Elias, and Victoria.
Their son, Joshua.
Their son, Jacob, and his wife, Nicole.
Their daughter, Marina.
Hopefully they can write about our journey, and our legacy, and it’s at least half as fulfilling as Dad’s, and like us, they have a Dad, that joins our Father in Heaven. The journey continues.
A celebration of Dan’s life will be held at Saint Vincent DePaul Parish, Salt Lake City, on Saturday, March 18, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. Immediately following, the interment of ashes gathering will be at Mt. Calvary Catholic Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Saint Vincent Society in Salt Lake City, UT or to the Alzheimer’s Association.
In Loving Memory
Aunt Shirley, Joe, Dan, Jim and families, it is with a heavy heart to hear of the passing of uncle Dan. I still have fond memories when Uncle Dan, Aunt Shirley and the boys would come to town and visit. I always cherished those visits and always looked forward to the next time you came to town. You and your families are in our thoughts and prayers during this time of loss.
Joe and Tina Maffuccio
Pittsfield, MA
My condolences to Aunt Shirley, Dan, Joe and Jim. When Uncle Dan and family visited Pittsfield, it was the high point of the summer. My mother Lucy would have it marked on her calendar long in advance. My mother was 12 when her mother died and left school to take care of the baby (Uncle Dan) and the older ones. From the stories she told she was overprotective. It was an inspiration to see Uncle Dan as a successful engineer and it gave me and my brother Michael the idea that I we can be engineers. I was also inspired by Uncle Dan and Uncle Ralph’s interest in Radio. There was a Crystal Set radio (with a cat’s whisker) that my brother got from 247 Robbins Ave attic in the 1950’s which worked very well. There was also a tube radio built from scratch which worked. I still wonder how they wound their own IF transformers and aligned them without test equipment. I got the radio bug from my uncles and brother. I recall a tube radio I made for an 8th grade science project which worked OK except that it smoked a little. My radio skills have improved over the years and have been a licensed Ham for many years and I’m still working full time as an Engineer at age 72. I don’t think either would have happened if it had not been for my Uncle Dan.
Joseph Mazzeo
Novato, CA
Joe, Dap & Mafoose – Just heard of your father’s passing and extend my sincerest condolences to your and his amazing family. I can vividly recall being with the entire Maffucio clan at Epcot and still laugh about those happy times. I know he is with our Lord at this time and watching his amazing family.
Pogas
Tampa, FL