Angelo Termini, 93, WWII vet, father, longtime postal worker

When Angelo Termini arrived in Queens as a poor, 9-year-old Italian immigrant who spoke no English and was small for his age, he was often bullied, daughter Diane Termini-Vavricka said.

That marked him for life.

“He didn’t have any prejudices for that reason,” Termini-Vavricka said. “When you’re treated differently for being Italian or being something else, you know what it is like. He was very compassionate, open-minded, very liberal-minded. He was a liberal Democrat. He rooted for the underdog.”

Termini died in his Glen Cove home on Dec. 23 of natural causes. He was 93.

Termini left Italy for Corona, Queens, after his parents died. He was raised by his older brothers, Charlie and Sal, now deceased, and worked with them delivering meat, said Termini-Vavricka, 49, of Kings Park.

Growing up as an orphan and sometimes physically fighting off kids who bullied him “taught him to be tough and bold and brave,” his daughter said.

Termini displayed that bravery during World War II, when he fought for the U.S. Army in his native Sicily, as well as in Central Europe and France, including in the Normandy invasion, Termini-Vavricka said. He was awarded the Purple Heart, the Silver Star and the Bronze Star, and was wounded twice, including on D-Day on June 6, 1944, according to military records.

Termini was humble about his service, said longtime Glen Cove neighbor Bob Truzzolino, 64, who said he knew Termini was a veteran but not that he was injured in the especially bloody D-Day battle.

“He was a hero, but he never spoke about it,” Truzzolino said.

Termini married his wife, Sarah, in 1952 and “adored her,” Termini-Vavricka said.

The couple moved to Glen Cove in 1959 and raised six children.

Termini worked for the U.S. Postal Service — primarily as a letter carrier and mail sorter — for 58 years, not retiring until he was 81, recalled his son, Vincent Termini, 51, of Glen Cove. For a time, Termini worked two extra jobs — as a taxi driver and a factory worker, his son said.

Termini-Vavricka said her father’s goal was to better provide for his family and save money for his children’s college education.

“He took care of his family,” she said. “That was his mission in life. Family meant everything to him.”

Termini passed on his strong work ethic to his children, as well as the importance of saving money, “appreciating the little things in life and being grateful for all you have, because he didn’t have much,” she said.

Despite holding down three jobs, Termini always made time for his family, his children said. They went to baseball games and the beach together and made homemade tomato sauce together.

In addition to his wife, other survivors are daughters Lillian Dowden of Stanhope, New Jersey, Tina Gargiulo of Hicksville, Marie Longo of upstate Bloomingburg and Rose Shuder of Kings Park; and 15 grandchildren.

Services were held Dec. 28 at St. Rocco Catholic Church in Glen Cove. Burial was at Locust Valley Cemetery.