Saverio Marziliano

Saverio "Sam" Marziliano owner of Sam's Italian Deli & Market in Fresno passed on to eternal life with our Lord on Sunday, March 27, 2011, after his battle with cancer.

He was born in Sanicandro di Bari, Italy on December 16, 1943, to Nicola and Carmela Marziliano.

At age 13 he and eight of his siblings moved to Toronto, Canada. Not wanting to attend school he began his butchering career working in an Italian meat market. In 1966 he married Angela Ventola from Bari, Italy, a loving partnership in family and business for the next 45 years. Working together they never left each other's side. He opened his first grocery store S&S Supermarket in 1968 with his brother-in-law, Sam Chirichella. In 1972, he opened Sam's Supermarket on Wilson Ave. in Toronto.

After many vacations visiting his sister, Stella, in Sanger, California he became reminiscent of the climate and farmland of his childhood. In December of 1979, he packed up his family and moved to Sanger. He loved working and planting every variety of tree and vine on his five acre ranch. After observing that Fresno needed an Italian Market similar to ones back east he and Angela opened Sam's Italian Deli & Market on First and Clinton in 1980. For the next 31 years Sam, Angela and their two children, Nick and Carmela worked hard at bringing the foods of Italy to Fresno.

He was always honored with the numerous awards and recognition that he and the deli received. Sam and Angela received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Fresno chapter of the California Restaurant Association in 2008. To him his biggest rewards were his family and the smiles that he put on the many thousands of patrons that visited him at the deli. He loved talking with the many generations of valley families and giving samples of salami and cheese to children as he greeted them.

He is survived by his wife Angela; his two children and their spouses, Nick Marziliano and his wife Kathryn and Carmela Rodriguez and her husband Fabian; five grandchildren, Graziana, Saverio, Marcello, Isabella, and Giada; his brothers, Vito and Michael Marziliano; sisters, Stella Ferri and Teresa Mondelli; sister-in-law, Anna Marziliano; and many loving nephews, nieces, cousins, brothers-in-law, and sisters-in-law living in Canada and Italy.

Recitation of the Holy Rosary and a Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church on Friday, April 1, 2011, at 12:00 noon.

The family requests that donations in honor of Sam Marziliano be made to Catholic Charities, 149 North Fulton Street, Fresno, Ca. 93701; Hinds Hospice 1616 W. Shaw, Ste. C-1, Fresno, Ca. 93711; or a charity of your choice.