Victor P. DeBacco
Victor P. DeBacco, 86, of Bradys Bend died Sunday at the Good Samaritan Hospice, Cabot.
Born April 20, 1930, to Paul and Grace Silverio DeBacco of “Blue Row” Bradys Bend Township, he was the fourth child of 10 and the second son.
Vic was educated at Pine Run, a one-room school, during the years of the Great Depression. He walked to work each morning before school at Lewis' Dairy Farm and then walked to school. His childhood duties included helping his dad, “Tatta,” and older brother, John, provide for the younger siblings. Feeding pigs and chickens as well as hoeing corn, and tending the family gardens were just part of a normal day.
The family's move to Roseville was the highlight of his childhood and symbolic of the blessings of God from the bondage of poverty to the freedom of plenty. Victor walked from Bradys Bend to Bruin in his young teenage years to work at a saw mill that provided white oak staves for the barrel industry.
He received an honorary diploma from Karns City High School for responding to the call to the U.S. Army during the Korean War, where he achieved the rank of corporal. He received the Korean Service Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the United Nations medal and the Presidential Unit Citation for Bravery. He also served in the U.S. Air Force Reserves for six years.
He married Florence Galassi on Oct. 29, 1955, and for 61 years she was the light of his life, his right hand and his comfort. After the military, he spent 30 years at Rex Hide where, upon its closing in 1976, he was a shift foreman and traveled to both Tyler, Texas, and Grafton, W.Va., to assist and train in the startup of branch facilities. Vic changed his birth certificate at age 15 to get his job at Rex Hide and made it six months before he got caught. At age 48, he landed a job at Witco Chemical Corp., where he worked for 10 years as an operator. He also worked for a security firm as a guard and finally retired from Allegheny Heat Treating at age 65.
After his retirement, he worked for Bradys Bend Water and Sewer Authority and served as bar steward for the American Legion. Victor spoke both English and Italian fluently. He loved gardening and sitting on his porch where he called the view “heaven on Earth.”
For many years Victor tended a bearing fig tree and his first ripe fig each year was awarded to his mother. He also was able to bloom a Hawaiian hibiscus in a northeast climate. He always spoke fondly of his parents and stayed very close to his siblings.
Vic was an avid baseball and softball player. He played competitively until the age of 40. While in the Army, he had a tryout with the New York Yankees where he batted against the famous Yankee pitcher Whitey Ford. He coached little league baseball in the East Brady area for many years.
A member of St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church, Victor served on the building committee where he committed his monthly gift even when he wasn't sure he could afford it. He was a member of The Holy Name Society and the Young at Heart. He also worked on the St. Mary's Cemetery Committee for more than 15 years.
He was a member of the American Legion Post 488 for more than 40 years, the Sons of Italy Rinascenza Italica 1484 and the Bradys Bend and Chicora senior centers. He loved his “big chair” “M*A*S*H” reruns, “All in the Family” and Pittsburgh Steelers football.
He is survived by his wife, Florence DeBacco of Bradys Bend; two daughters, Diana DeBacco of Bradys Bend and Linda and her husband, David, Bard of Chicora; and four sons, Victor and his wife, Sharon, DeBacco of West Sunbury, Paul DeBacco of Karns City, Stephen De Bacco (Karen Delaney) of Bradys Bend and Edward and his wife, Deborah, DeBacco of Karns City.
Vic is also survived by two sisters, Philomenia Greenawalt and Loretta (Francis) Posey; six brothers, John (Irene) DeBacco, Ralph DeBacco, Robert (Betty) DeBacco, Ronald (Jane) DeBacco, Dominic (Yvonne) DeBacco and Louis (Mary) DeBacco; 17 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and one sister, Ann Andreassi.
DEBACCO — Friends of Victor P. DeBacco, who died Sunday, Nov. 27, 2016, will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Buechele Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 707 Kellys Way, East Brady.A parish prayer service will be at 3 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. An American Legion service will be at 6 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church in Bradys Bend with the Rev. John Butler officiating.Military honors, committal and burial will follow at St. Mary's Cemetery in Bradys Bend.The DeBacco family asks that, in lieu of flowers, contributions be made in Victor's name to Good Samaritan Hospice, 134 Marwood Road, Cabot, PA 16023.To view or express condolences, please visit www.BuecheleFuneralHome.com.
