John Barberio

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - Tottenville resident John Barberio, 92, a retired longshoreman who loved spending time with his family, died Friday at home.

Born in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, he served in the U.S. Army from 1942 to 1946 in the China-Burma-India theater.

Following military service, he worked as a longshoreman for the New York Shipping Association until his retirement in 1988. He then worked until 1995 at the Towne and Country Deli in Tottenville, owned by his daughter Marion Kish and son-in-law Frank.

An avid golfer for 40 years, Mr. Barberio enjoyed gardening, and stamp and coin collecting. A N.Y. Yankees fan, he loved Joe DiMaggio, "idolized" Lou Gehrig, and was in Yankee Stadium when Gehrig gave the famous farewell speech in July 1939, said his daughter, JoAnn Kelly. "My father was a man's man," she added. "Handsome, hard-working, with a very easy-going personality. He was open-minded, and could talk about anything - from sports to music."

Mr. Barberio was a member of the Mount Loretto Friendship Club, and a member of Our Lady Help of Christians Church in Tottenville. He was one of the founders of the St. Jude Shrine in Canarsie, Brooklyn, and served as custodian of its grounds and hall until he moved to Staten Island in 1981.

His wife of 54 years, Teresa, died in 1995.

In addition to his daughters, JoAnn and Marion, surviving are his son John B.; seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

The funeral will be Tuesday from the Bedell-Pizzo Funeral Home, Tottenville, with a mass at 10 a.m. at Our Lady Help of Christians Church. Burial will follow in Resurrection Cemetery, Pleasant Plains.

Services: TUESDAY APRIL 26,2011 OUR LADY HELP OF CHRISTIAN 10:00 AM MASS

Visitation: MONDAY APRIL 25 2011 2:00PM 4:00PM AND 7:00PM 9:00PM

Memorials: IN LEIU OF FLOWERS DONATIONS TO ST. JUDES CHILDRENS HOSPITAL BOX 1000 MEMPHIS TN 38148

Cemetery: Resurrection Cemetery (Staten Island)

Location: Bedell-Pizzo Funeral Home

Church: Our Lady Help of Christians R.C.Church