Lifelong Flushing resident, Don was raised on 40th Road with his family who ran the Old Roma Restaurant. Don honorably served his country in the U.S. Army from 1962-1964. He met and married his beloved Betty, last fall they celebrated their 52nd anniversary. Don became an incredibly talented chef at the Old Roma, his lasagna was legendary, as was his seafood fra diavolo. He loved animals, always caring for strays, and was eager to offer his expertise and knowledge on a range of topics to anyone who asked.
After the Old Roma Restaurant closed in 1997, he retired to some well-earned leisure, continuing to create delicious meals for his wife and extended family. He would show up to family holidays with trays of appetizers, or surprise a former Old Roma patron with a lasagna out of the blue.
Don was preceded in death by his parents Candido and Gina Tomassetti, his older brothers Phillip “Sonny” and Chester Tomassetti, and his nephew Charles Tomassetti. He is survived by his wife Betty Tomassetti, his sister Phyllis Zander, his nieces Karen Zander and Gina Hill, his nephews Chris Zander, Tom, Phillip, and Andrew Tomassetti, and their families, and his pets Prince and Bullet.
Due to the current social distancing environment, a funeral service will not be held at this time. The family hopes to have a memorial service for Don at a later date, when we can safely celebrate his life together.
As an expression of sympathy, memorial contributions may be sent to Food Bank for New York City using the link below, or by mail to: Food Bank for NYC, Attn: Development, 39 Broadway 10th floor, New York, NY 10006.
https://celebrate-with-food-bank-nyc.everydayhero.com/us/don-tomassetti-memorial-page
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