Giuseppe Vitulli

Giuseppe “Peppino” Vitulli was born on November 16, 1929 in Mola di Bari “Mola”, Italy, and died on January 20, 2019 at his long-time home in Riverside, California. Between that time, he lived an extraordinary life.

Giuseppe was pre-deceased by his wife Evelyn J. Vitulli, who he loved and missed until he died. She called him her “honey Joe” for the 54 years that they were married. They were an inseparable pair, and together, they built a life together, raised 3 beautiful children, Anthony Joseph Vitulli, Gabriel Mario Vitulli, and Margaret Ann Palmer, who all loved him very much and will miss him forever.

Giuseppe was an extremely loyal person. He was with one wife, Evelyn, for 54 years. He was a man of great faith in God who belonged to the same church, the Arlington Avenue Church of the Nazarene for 50 years. He read the Bible almost every day. He belonged to the same auto insurance Company for 46 years. He banked at the same credit union for 40 plus years. He was proud to be a part of the same Retail Clerks Union for 32 years. He retired from Stater Brothers after 32 years. He created life-long ties with people at all of these organizations. The people that worked there were family.

Giuseppe helped family, friends, and neighbors his entire life in any way he could. He and our mother would cook Italian food and just bring it to people at his work, church, bank, friends and neighbors. Our father would randomly walk over to our neighbors houses and say “Don’t Cook! I am bringing you over dinner!” And if his friends or neighbors needed help, he was there…fixing their cars, cutting trees down, laying sprinklers or cement, or just telling them who to go to so they “won’t get cheated”.

Giuseppe had life-long friends. He and my mother were fiercely loyal and committed to his immediate and extended families his entire life. Giuseppe worked tirelessly to bring his parents and his sister and her family here from Italy. He even wrote letters to Congressmen and State Senators on their behalf that eventually resulted in their successful immigration to America.

Our father showed us courage, stubbornness, tenacity, and how to never give up. Our father NEVER EVER GAVE UP! He won most of his battles and did not let setbacks stop him. He told people the truth whether they liked it or not, but always helped everyone who asked...or even if they didn’t ask! He was that kind of person. He was five foot two inches of toughness. He never backed down.

His tough exterior was forged by his childhood. Our father grew up under Mussolini’s rule. It was a time of War. As a result, Giuseppe really spent his childhood with the responsibilities, concerns and fears of an adult, not the carefree life of a child.

To support his family, Giuseppe worked hard on their farm just to survive. Food became more important than money. He used to tell us how he would go to the wealthier neighborhoods where they left bread for the birds on their window sills and steal it so that he could bring food to his family.

As a child, Giuseppe served in the Opera Nationale Balilla (Mussolini’s Youth) where he was trained for war. Even as children, they were required to march in the square, learn to use weapons, and learn military tactics. He expected at an early age that he would one day go to war. He said he lived for the times he could sneak away from home to play soccer, but his primary concern as a child was survival.

Giuseppe later earned money by selling their family’s Tangerines in town. This earned him the childhood nickname “Giuseppe di Mandarin”.

The hard times during the war caused him to dream at a young age, of “becoming an American!”. This dream would possess and shape him for the rest of his life.

Against his father’s wishes, he decided to be a fisherman. He put himself through diesel motorist school and quickly obtained work as an engine motorist on fishing vessels. His small but strong frame made him perfect for climbing the masts to set or untangle ropes, especially during storms. He spoke of the many times “they would fight the sea!”. While a merchant marine, he learned to speak Arabic and bridge the gap between the Italian and Arabic sailors.

In 1953, he obtained work on a Passenger line, the S.S. Atlantic. Armed only with a Bible and his faith in God, Giuseppe realized his dream by “jumping ship” in New York and leaving everything to come to a country that didn’t want him. He had $8 in his pocket when he sat on a park bench in New York wondering what he was going to do next?

After about six months of dodging immigration, he met our mother, Evelyn Donato, an aspiring opera singer at an Italian-American party. They immediately fell in love and got married after knowing each other for only 1 week!

That week, our father was arrested and set to be deported back to Italy. However, a U.S. Immigration Officer used violence and racial slurs in handling his arrest. Our mother filed a law suit that resulted in a “settlement” where my father would be deported to Canada, instead of Italy and permit my mother to “legally sponsor” him back across the border.

Evelyn and “her honey Joe” became lifelong companions. They started their life by building their own home in Fontana, while still living in it. My cousin Dwayne Servillo fondly remembers staying at the house and sleeping under the stars before the roof was put on the house! That house is still there.

Giuseppe and Evelyn eventually opened several businesses, including a coffee and hamburger joint off of Crenshaw Blvd, in Los Angeles and eventually, their own Pizza Place called Pizza Mia in Riverside!

They loved to spend time with friends. Both our father and Mother were musical, and spent many hours singing, dancing and listening to music. They loved getting dressed up and attending Operas! They loved the movies and all the movie stars. We spent many happy hours playing at our cousin’s homes while our parents would be in the house eating, telling jokes, singing, and socializing. We had the best dinners…always lots and lots of food! Our cousins were like brothers.

Basically, our father just did it all. He was a farmer, a sailor, an engine motorist, a produce manager, a restaurant owner, and as everyone knew, an unbelievably fantastic cook! He grew his own vegetables. He made homemade wine and limoncello! He had the gift of hospitality and fed everyone. His best legacy may have been his warmth and hospitality toward others. No one ever left our home hungry!

If this was not enough, Giuseppe eventually learned and spoke 5 languages, Italian, Molese, Arabic, English and Spanish. Our father learned to speak fluent Spanish in about 3 months after the age of 80!

Finally, our Dad was the most fantastic Grandfather ever or otherwise known to his grandchildren and great grandchildren as “Papa”. He rarely missed his grandchildren’s soccer and baseball games.

Even after my father got sick with Multiple Myeloma and heart disease, he would not give up. He would walk into the chemo room and yell “Why is it so quiet in here!” “Somebody tell a joke!” When the nurses had trouble finding his veins, he asked them “if they were using Square Needles?” He flirted with all the nurses and told them he wanted to take them to Italy! And they all said yes!!

He eventually took me to Italy showing me his childhood. He introduced me to my Italian family there. They became another gift from my father. My whole family thinks of them and misses them every day. My father gave us that too. On February 10, 2019 his cousin in Italy died as well. I am sure she is now in heaven with my father.

Dad, thank you for being determined, stubborn, and tenacious…to never ever give up no matter what. You made it all happen based only on courage, faith in God, and your legendary ATTITUDE!

We will love and will miss you forever!

Giuseppe Vitulli is survived by his sister, Maria Giordano of Riverside, California; his sons and wife, Anthony and Shelly Vitulli of Riverside, California; Gabriel and Regina Vitulli of Redlands, California; his daughter and husband, Margaret and Robert Palmer of Taos, New Mexico.

Giuseppe Vitulli is also survived by 12 grandchildren, starting with Anthony and Shelly Vitulli’s children: Giuseppe Antonio Vitulli, Giovanni Angelino Vitulli, Antonio Edwin Vitulli and Isabella Evelyn Marie Vitulli; Gabriel and Regina Vitulli’s children and spouses: Kala Ann and Keith Barnett, Giuseppe Michael and Janice Vitulli, Nickolas Edward and Kassandra Vitulli, Michael and Analee Williams, Shauna and Minh Diep and Catherine Cheatham; Margaret and Robert Palmer’s children; Allen Joseph Palmer and Paisley Constance Palmer.

Giuseppe Vitulli is also survived by six great grandchildren, Bailey, Ciara, Tanner, James, Esther and little Evalyn Vitulli.

Rest in Peace Papa.