Rosario C. Azzolina

Rosario became the man of the house soon after World War II began. During the war, his father Giovanni was captured in Africa. He was gone for eight years, six of those years as a POW. In order to provide income for his mother and his two younger siblings (Diego and Angela) Rosario began barbering at the age of eight years old having to stand on wooden crates to reach the customers. Rosario’s mother Francesca and his siblings experienced horrible conditions for so many years during World War II and after. But thank God for the United States Military that came in to free them from Nazism, Socialism and Fascism. He often spoke about how he watched General Patton‘s army fight and defeat the Nazis first in Sicily in his hometown. And then in 2017 he met one of those brave men and finally got a chance to say thank you. In 1953 Rosario served in the military for two years.

Rosario started to sing at a very young age. His school teachers knew that someday that voice would take him to many places. He was a tenor. Everyone who heard him said he was the next Caruso. Mario Lonza is who people compared him to the most, because he sounded just like him. In 1956 Rosario won the grand prize in Italy, equivalent to Italy’s got talent. O Solo Mio is the song that won him first place. The grand prize was that the country of Italy would pay for half of the cost for Rosario to go to the conservatory for one year. Unfortunately post World War II no one had that kind of money. If he could have gone he would have become one of the famous three tenors,(four).

If you YouTube “Mario Lonza O Solo Mio, “ you’ll get a great idea what Rosario sounded like.

He sang at weddings anniversaries parties, holiday destinations and every opportunity he had to sing, he did. Always with a standing ovation.

In 1958 he married the love of his life Concetta Giordano. On December 12, 1959 Rosario immigrated to the United States. Their two sons John and Frank were born in 1961 and 1965. He worked three jobs in order to support his family but never complained. In 1973 he purchased his barbershop in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was the busiest and largest barbershop in the state of Wisconsin. Following in his footsteps both of his sons, John and Frank, became successful barbers which made him very proud.

The happy couple saved money in order to travel around the world. Rosario and his beautiful wife Concetta traveled to many holiday destinations; Italy, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Spain, Gibraltar, and Catalina Island and many other cities in the United States. They visited most of these destinations multiple times . Rosario and Concetta experienced all these wonderful adventures together. And they always treasured these memories.

Those who passed before Rosario; his loving wife Concetta Azzolina, his brother Diego Azzolina married to Rosa, his brother-in-law Paolo Mascari married to his sister Angela. And of course his parents Giovanni and Francesca Azzolina. and seven of Concetta’s siblings and their spouses.

Survivors: His sons John and Frank Azzolina, His sister Angela Mascali and her children Maria and Basil and their children and grandchildren. Rosa Azzolina and her children Frances, John, Basil, and Maria and their children and grandchildren. His sister Grazia, married to Salvatore Raciti and their children John, Vince, and Maria. Further survived by: his brothers-in-laws and sisters-in-laws, Tony Giordano and his wife Sally and their children Maria, Linda, Lisa, Nancy and their children. Richard Serraino and his wife Josephine Giordano Serraino and their children Theresa and Joseph and their children. Maria Giordano Bianca and her children Joseph and Joanna and their children. Rosario’s nephews and nieces from brothers-in-law and sisters-in-laws who have passed. Children from Salvatore and Gloria Mingari; Joe, Maria and Sandy and their children. Children from Joe and Gamia Consentino; Joe and Johnny and their children. Children from Jim and Santa Giordano; John, Jim, Maria, Tony, and Frank and their children. Children from Charlie and Carmela Giordano; John, Saverio, and Charlie and all their children. Children from Santo and Santa Galati; Maria and Frank and their children. And many, many other family and friends that are not listed here, but you know who you are.