Realtor, beloved patriarch, taught the importance of family
Pasquale "Pat" Pappalardo, age 81, passed away Saturday, November 7, 2020, at Richmond University Medical Center.
Born to Angelo and Maria Pappalardo in a small town on the hillside of Mt. Vesuvio in Tre Case, Naples, Pat was the eldest of nine siblings. The harsh economic realities of post-war southern Italy and being the eldest son of a large sprawling family forged the foundational principles of Pat's life: love of family above all else, dedication to hard work, and the dream of a better life.
As his siblings recall, his uncompromising love for family first manifested early in Pat's life, as he would skip the bus and take the long unpaved walk for miles to and from school so that at the end of the month he would surprise his mother and return all of the bus fare she had been giving him each day. This early sacrifice of literally walking the extra miles for his family hinting at a natural predisposition for entrepreneurship, would prove prophetic.
At age 19, despite not knowing the language, Pat emigrated to Staten Island along with his brother Joe and began his American experience. He took on multiple jobs at once, including longshoreman and busboy to save as much as possible to one day have his own business. Two years after arriving, making use of his herculean work ethic and willingness to walk that extra mile, Joe and Pat's Pizzeria opened its doors for the first time in Staten Island. The island institution has now been open for 60 years and has served generations of islanders and gained national recognition as a paragon of the classic New York pie.
In the early days of the restaurant Pat worked double shifts, seven days a week, and with his and his brother's savings was able to purchase a two-family home in the Port Richmond section of the island. Within short order, Pat moved his entire family from Naples to live together in the new home and help at the restaurant.
This first home purchase sparked a keen interest in real estate and while Pat was still working in the restaurant, he enrolled in classes at Wagner College and eventually graduated with a degree in Business Administration in 1970. Six years later Pat opened Papp Realty, and after two years of successful growth, the business evolved into and continues to operate as Century 21 Papp Realty. Within a decade, the Century 21 franchise had recognized Papp Realty as one of the top 15 Best Real Estate Companies in the country.
Since its founding as owner and broker, Pat educated thousands of island residents on the benefits of home ownership and helped many families and individuals make their first purchases. Pat often reminded his son Angelo of the kindness, generosity and help that he was welcomed with by the community when he first arrived in this country, and he was determined to pay it forward and help others.
His heartfelt desire to live true to this ideal was made manifest by becoming one of the founding members of the Staten island Board of Realtors, a former Director of the Board of Realtors and the SIMLS, a former Director of the Board of the non-profit, 'Out of the Storm,' a former Director of the Wagner College Alumni Board of Directors, a member of the SI Chamber of Commerce since 1965, and a member of the SIEDC. Pat's impact on the Staten Island community has been vast, as he has employed countless brokers, agents and helped many find their homes.
Pat was a man of many different hats, both literally and figuratively, as the agents of his brokerage soon realized. In addition to being the first one in the office and the last to leave, he was sure to bring a touch of flair into the office each day with his notorious range of hats, running the gamut from fedora to full cowboy, which was his favorite- nothing like the juxtaposition of an Neapolitan accent and a ten-gallon hat.
Pat loved to party as much as he loved to work. He had an infectious laugh that everyone knew well, and was the first to welcome everyone to join him on the dance floor. He loved nothing more than a family party: Christmas, New Year's Eve, and his specialty, the Fourth of July. Pat shared his summer home on Long Beach Island each summer to celebrate this special day, and at every family gathering, as the Patriarch, he would take it upon himself to give a truly memorable speech each time, the theme always the same: "There is nothing more important that family, let's cherish these moments together".
Pasquale is survived by his wife, Beverly, and three children, Sean, Angelo, and Amanda. He is also survived by his eight brothers and sisters, Giuseppe (Joe) Pappalardo, Concetta (Tina) Bianchi, Maria Rosa (Rose) Zucca, Gelsomina (Jessie) Ippolito, Clara Fazzino, Anna Glynn, Ciro Pappalardo, Gennaro (Jerry) Pappalardo. Moreover, Pat is survived by fifty-plus members who are as close as any family could be, cousins as close as brothers and sisters.
He was the living, breathing embodiment of the American Dream, and we are the products of his life-long committment to what mattered to him most, values instilled in him from an old world from across oceans from a time gone by.
We, your family, are eternally grateful for all you have done for us, and for keeping us together through the years, giving each one us the opportunity to have wonderful lives here in this country. We will keep working hard to honor your legacy and to live by your example, always making sure to be the first ones on the dance floor, and the last ones to leave.
If you wish to donate to Pat's memory, please visit Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, giving.msk.org, or Leukemia And Lymphoma Society, lls.org/ways-to-give
Visitation is Tuesday, Nov. 10 from 7 to 9 p.m., and Wednesday November 11 from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at Casey Funeral Home, 350 Slosson Ave.
Funeral Mass will be Thursday, November 12, at 10:45 a.m., at St. Teresa's Church, 1694 Victory Blvd., Staten Island, NY.
When paying respects, kindly please wear a mask, maintain distance from others, and observe all CDC guidelines.
Casey Funeral Home
350 Slosson Ave.
Staten Island, N.Y. 10314
(718) 447-4242
To Plant Memorial Trees in memory, please visit our Sympathy Store.
Published in Staten Island Advance on Nov. 9, 2020.
Hail Mary
Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee,
blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the
hour of our death.
Amen.
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