SEBASTIAN – Salvatore Vito Piccirillo passed away peacefully on May 4, 2019. He was born November 30, 1926 in Newton, MA, son of the late Antonio and Prospera (Geni ) Giannini Piccirillo. He served in the Navy during World War II and then earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Electrical Engineering from MIT in 1951. He married Virginia Alice Brackley on June 24, 1950. She predeceased him on January 30, 2019.
His life was a celebration of family, friends, and travel. He was always a great conversationalist and enjoyed a lively debate and had a great memory, sharing many a story with anyone who would listen. Family gatherings were of great importance to him and he loved to eat.
Vito was a well-regarded Electrical Engineer at RCA and was the manager of the team that designed two engine control assemblies for all the Lunar Modules that landed on the moon. His team also designed a submarine detecting radar system for the US Navy.
In his spare time he designed and had built their primary home in Concord, MA as well as their retirement home on Lake Shirley, MA; and always the intellectual tinkerer converted their oil burning furnace to wood burning (to meet the energy crises of the 70’s) and constructed an air-conditioning system using well water for the heat exchange system.
He is survived by 13 of 14 of their children and their spouses: Mary Piccirillo and Richard Kent, Anna and Tom Loewe, Tony Piccirillo and Sara Qua, Judi McClellan, Joe Piccirillo, Alice Piccirillo wife of deceased son Robert, John and Susy Piccirillo, Teresa and Keith Bogdanovich, Peter Piccirillo and Stella Pang, Paul Piccirillo and Laura Nicholson, Tom and Meg Piccirillo, Joanna and Salvatore LoCascio, Camille Piccirillo and Tony MacLean, Phil and Heather Piccirillo, 31 of 32 grandchildren, and numerous great-grandchildren. Vito was predeceased by his brother, George Piccirillo, and his sisters, Bernice Antonellis and Phyllis Antonellis. He is survived by his brothers, Joseph Piccirillo and Paul Piccirillo.
Calling hours will be held Saturday, May 11, 2019 from 12:00 – 2:30 p.m. in Wright-Roy Funeral Home, Inc., 109 West St., Leominster, MA.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, May 13, 2019, at 10:00.a.m. in St. Anthony’s Church, Shirley, MA. Burial follow in Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 111 Glenallen St., Winchendon, MA at 1:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in support of his love and respect of nature and the environment to NationalAudubonSociety.org.