Obituary of Carmelo G. Priolo

Carmelo Giovanni Priolo, of Conover, North Carolina, 91, formerly of Elizabeth, NJ, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, May 5, 2021 surrounded by his loving family. Carmelo was born on March 6, 1930 in Ribera, Sicily, and emigrated to Elizabeth, New Jersey where he resided for 62 years prior to moving to Conover, North Carolina in 2020. As a teenager Carmelo had a passion for woodworking and started his career working in a woodworking shop in Ribera where he invited his brother Filippo to join him, together they were known as the craftsmen of Ribera. Carmelo honorably served his country by joining the Italian army where he achieved the rank of Lieutenant. In 1952, Carmelo along with a few friends, and relatives, in order to support their respective families, moved to Caracas, Venezuela where he began another apprenticeship at a woodworking shop. In 1959, Carmelo moved to Elizabeth to join his family and began working for John Mielach Architectural Woodworking located in Irvington and was a member of Union Local 1209 and Union Local 1306. Carmelo and Filippo thereafter, started their own company known as AA1 Woodworking Company and opened for business in Elizabeth, retiring in 1998 to spend more time with his family. Carmelo loved spending time with his wife and 4 children and was happiest when surrounded by family and friends. His home was always brimming with family. He loved planting a garden in the summer that was bursting with fruits, and vegetables, especially cucuzza and tomatoes. Besides being an avid gardener, he was also quite the dancer and would show off his skills whenever the opportunity arose. Carmelo is predeceased by his siblings Francesca, Joseph, and Filippo. He is survived by his loving and dedicated wife Domenica; loving father of Anthony and his wife Sheila of Conover, N.C.; Sara and her husband Ed of Temecula, California; Peter and his wife Bee of San Jose, California and Joseph and his fiancé Skye of Bordentown, New Jersey; Carmelo is the adoring grandfather of Carmelo, Erika, Elizabeth, Philip and Bene and adoring great-grandfather of Luna Grace. Carmelo is survived by his brother, Enzo Priolo of Edison. Family and friends are invited to attend the visitation on Wednesday, May 12, 2021 from the Petruccelli Funeral Home, 232 Christine Street, Elizabeth, New Jersey from 8:30am-9:45am with a Funeral Mass to follow at 10:30am at St. Anthony’s Church, Elizabeth, NJ. Entombment will immediately follow at St. Gertrude Cemetery, in Colonia, New Jersey.