Frank Anthony Losito

Born in Elmira, New York, on February 1, 1927, he was the son of the late Vito Antonio Losito and late Maria Losavio Losito. He was preceded in death by his brother, Charles Leonard Losito (Antoinette).

He was a loving husband to Rita (Furnari) Losito for over 68 years, proud father to Maria Calabretta (Joe), Frank Losito, Jr. (Dawn), Valerie Gallagher (Brian) and very proud grandfather to Laura Calabretta Christie (Sturgeon), Paul Calabretta, Jon Calabretta, Trevor Losito, Mimi-Jane Losito, Aidan Gallagher, Katherine Gallagher and Keira Gallagher, and great-grandfather to Lily Jean Christie. Frank was also proud uncle to Charles Losito (Katie), Roseann Raia (Steve), Louisa Joy (Paul), Frank Furnari (Elizabeth), and Loretta Grillo. He also leaves behind his dear cousin Theresa Presti, who was more like a sister.

His parents immigrated from Bari, Italy to Elmira, New York, and later moved to East Harlem in New York City when Frank was two. It was the start of the Great Depression and things were tough. With both parents working, Frank was raised by nuns in his infant years. As he grew older, his sense of being came through the Boys Club of America, a place of which he always spoke fondly. The Boys Club provided a safe haven for a poor kid growing up in the Depression. At the age of 14 his father became ill and Frank dropped out of high school to start working and help contribute to the family. At age 17 he volunteered for WWII, pleading with his mother to sign the documents that would allow him to join the US Navy.

After the war, in his late teens and early twenties, he was guided and mentored by his Uncle Nick, a draftsman and carpenter, to become an apprentice carpenter. Frank attributed much of his

success to his Uncle Nick, keeping him focused and out of trouble on the streets of Harlem.

Upon completion of his apprenticeship, he started working as a carpenter in the furniture and

cabinetry industry where he became a proud member of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters. When the furniture industry ironically moved to North Carolina, he worked for many years for Superior Storefronts in the South Bronx, building aluminum, stainless steel, brass and bronze storefronts and building facades. He was especially proud of the work he did on the Twin Towers.

Frank and Rita married on September 13, 1953 and moved to Queens, New York where they began the journey of starting a family. They worked side-by-side raising their children, making many sacrifices to ensure that they would live good, productive lives. Outside of work, Frank enjoyed helping family, friends and neighbors with their home repairs and remodels. Frank was always a hard worker, never able to sit still. He was also a perfectionist, taking pride in doing the best job he could possibly do. “Mr. Reliable,” was always on time, trust worthy, and the one person you would want by your side in a fox hole watching your back.

Frank was a natural athlete and enjoyed playing baseball and basketball; he was also a great swimmer and loved playing table tennis. He equally enjoyed watching sports and was a diehard New York sports fan, although he later embraced the North Carolina teams of the colleges his grandchildren attended.

Frank and Rita moved to North Carolina in 1996 to be close to their first grandchild. Soon after, the rest of the family followed, and all 8 of their grandchildren lived close by. Frank got to enjoy watching them grow up and was actively involved in their lives. He was extremely proud of all of them and would constantly brag to others about them.

We know how lucky we are to have had our father around for so long. He taught us about faith, hard work, and the importance of family.

A memorial service is scheduled for Friday, February 18th at 1:00pm at St. Michael the Archangel Roman Catholic Church.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to St. Jude or The Boy's and Girl's Club of America in memory of Frank.