William Paul Daddazio
William Paul Daddazio, 93, Sarasota, died June 7, 2008 following a long period of physical illnesses. He was born February 10, 1915, in Ossining, New York. His parents Antonia and Filomena Fusaro Daddazio, sister Marie Dicioccio, brothers Alfredo and Dominic were born in Pesaro, Italy, Naturalized, resided in New York and preceded him in death.
He served from March 3, 1941 to November 14, 1945 in the Army Air Force in World War II in the South Pacific. He was a Staff Sargeant and received four medals. He received his R.N. , Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts Degrees in Psychiatric Nursing at Columbia University, New York and had credits on his Doctorate’s Degree. He was a member of Kappa Delta Phi. He worked twenty years at the New York Rockland State Hospital with civil and criminal patients. In 1957 on the request of the Michigan Department of Mental Health, he accepted a position as Psychiatric Nurse Superintendent at the Ionia State Hospital for the criminally insane, which also included the Riverside Treatment Center and the Michigan Institute for Mental Health. He worked over forty years in the field of mental health before his retirement in 1978. He was affiliated with the National and Michigan Associations of Nurses; Civil Defense Forces of Michigan; and the Rotary Club (served as President). He was a member of the Ossining Catholic Church in New York and since December 15, 1958, the First Presbyterian Church in Ionia, Michigan where he served for several years as a Deacon, Trustee, President of the Men’s Club and member of the church choir.
Upon retirement in 1978, he and his wife, Mary Esther, of nearly 50 years, resided for six month alternating intervals in Michigan and Florida in Apollo Beach and since 1989 in Sarasota. His hobbies were sports, world news and reading. He was a dedicated golfer wherever he resided. During his retirement ears in Ionia, he was a member of the popular :Silver Fox Foursome” with Mayor Tony Balice, Monte Hood and Frank Ciangi.
In addition to his wife, survivors include nephews and nieces from Ossining, New York, namely , Joseph, John, Nicholas DiCioccio; Florence Visalli; Joe, Florence and Mary Jane Daddazio; Anthony Daddazio of Pleasantville, New York and Clara Feeney of Woodland Hills, California; as well as several great nieces and nephews. Michigan relatives include Marjorie Smith, Betty Heyn, Herold Helmes, and Mary Lou Chickering.
The Toale Brothers Funeral Home of Sarasota and The Lake Funeral Home of Ionia will coordinate all arangements. Military Services will be held with burial at the Ionia Tuttle Cemetery.
Visitation will be on Saturday, June 21, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. with services to follow at 11:00 a.m. at the Lake Funeral Home, 3521 S. State Rd., Ionia, MI 48846. Officiating the services will be The Reverend Robert C. Nixon, First Presbyterian Church, Pastor Emeritus who has been the family Pastor for many years, and Father Melvin Fox of the SS Peter and Paul Church.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Daddazio Memorial Fund at First Presbyterian Church of Ionia or the Notre Dame Rex O’Connor Memorial Fund, c/o Mary E. O’Connor, 320 Union Street, Ionia, MI 48846.