Anthony Maurice Scozzafava

Anthony Maurice Scozzafava passed away on December 28, 2019 at his home surrounded by his family. He was a dedicated husband, father, grandfather and active member of Saint Peter the Fisherman Catholic church. He was a talented butcher, passionate sailor and enjoyed talking about and preparing food. A funeral Mass will be held at St. Peter the Fisherman, Oriental, on Monday, January 6, 2020 at 2:30 pm. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Anthony Scozzafava Angel Fund in care of St. Peter the Fisherman Church, St. Peter the Fisherman, 1149 White Farm Rd. Oriental, NC 28571.

Anthony was born in Jersey City, NJ, to Morris and Frances (Torchio) Scozzafava. He was introduced to the family business early, working after school at the family butcher shop. Growing up, he spent his summers on the Jersey shore. He graduated from St. Peter Prep in 1953 and received his BA in Business from St. Peter’s College in 1968 with four of his six children bearing witness to this accomplishment.

As if foreshadowing a lifelong love of sailing, he met Evelyn, the love of his life, during a boat ride to Rye Beach New York on a high school outing. Anthony and Evelyn married in 1958, raising their six children in Leonia, New Jersey. He owned several butcher shops in Jersey City, NJ, where he specialized in crafting authentic Italian sausages and smoked meats.

His foray into sailing began in the 1970’s with his family of eight on a Venture 24, appropriately named “Crowded”. His family has some not-so-fond memories of drifting on the Hudson River, NY between the high walls of the Palisades waiting for the winds to rise, while avoiding harbor barges. His love of sailing became a major part of his rest of his life, leading to larger, swifter boats and longer trips to Long Island Sound, Cape Cod and farther shores.

After selling his butcher shops in 1994, Anthony retired to Oriental, NC, drawn to the area for its beautiful water views and amazing sailing community. He quickly became part of the Oriental community, making lifelong friends through groups such as Just for Fun and the Sailing Club of Oriental (SCOO). He traveled with a group of SCOO members down the Intracoastal Waterway to the Caribbean Islands, fulfilling a lifelong dream.

Anthony immediately became an active member of the Catholic parish in Oriental. Along with a dedicated group of parishioners, he helped to build St. Peter the Fishermen Catholic Church. He supported the church in many ways. A popular event was the Feast of San Gennaro, where Anthony’s homemade sausage was a best seller.

In 2004, Anthony traded in his sailboat for an RV. He spent the next decade exploring dry land. Anthony enjoyed seeing new places and meeting new people. Over the years he traveled to Alaska, China, and Israel; took a river cruise on the Rhine, a boat tour of the Mediterranean Sea, and sailed through the Panama Canal. A highlight of his travels was a trip to Poland led by a native Polish priest who exposed him to authentic Polish cuisine.

Anthony is survived by Evelyn, his wife of 62 years, his children Mary Rose, Evey, Lori, Anthony, Beth and Matthew, his sister Gloria and brother James, and his grandchildren Sharon, Daniel, Maya, Andrew, Becky, Adam, Leah, Anthony III, Brielle, Jimmy, Emily, Julia and Dominick. Love of family was a guiding force throughout his life. His children fondly remember his many words of wisdom and in particular “For every privilege, there is a responsibility”.