Obituary for Nicola Scalera
Nicola Scalera was born on July 11, 1934, in Bari, Italy to Irene and Francesco Scalera. Nicola was the sixth of nine children. With only a third grade education, Nicola left Italy with two of his brothers and went to Venezuela. He then found his way to New York. Nicola went on to join the workforce in America where he worked construction as an excavator and later became a foreman. He was a proud member of Excavators Union Local 731 for 60 years. In 1970, he married his wife Maria, who predeceased him in 1999. Together they shared a son, Frank and two daughters, Erina (Irene) and Nancy.
Nicola had three loves in his life: fishing, wine and family. We are still not too sure as to which were first, second or third. He had a reputation of being friendly, outgoing, and someone full of life. He was famous for bringing strangers home for dinner. Whenever he got a ride home from work, it meant another setting at the dinner table. It was odd that all of these strangers had the same name, Charlie. We later found out that if Nicola didn’t know or remember your name, he would call you Charlie. If you were fishing under the Throggs Neck Bridge or Fort Schuyler, it meant you would soon become a friend to Nicola. He would give the shirt off his back for anyone who needed it. Most remember Nicola with a smile on his face….could have been from him sneaking a jug of wine in the basement. Nicola appreciated the simple pleasures in life. He enjoyed spending time with family and close friends, as well as a wide range of hobbies that included watching classic western movies, Abbot and Costello, The Three Stooges and fishing.
Nicola closed his eyes during the early morning hours of Sunday October 23, 2022, at the age of 88. He is preceded in death by his parents, his wife Maria, and four brothers and sisters. Nicola leaves to mourn his memory his son: Frank & wife Tracy Scalera, daughter Erina (Irene) and husband Donald Ponzini and daughter Nancy and husband Peter Rizzo. He was also Crazy Uncle Nick to over 40 nieces and nephews. But, Grandpa (PooBa) will be cherished most by his 8 grandchildren who will miss him dearly: Nicholas, Anthony, Richard, Daniel, Maria, Frank II, Michael and Guiliana.
Nicola had three loves in his life: fishing, wine and family. We are still not too sure as to which were first, second or third. He had a reputation of being friendly, outgoing, and someone full of life. He was famous for bringing strangers home for dinner. Whenever he got a ride home from work, it meant another setting at the dinner table. It was odd that all of these strangers had the same name, Charlie. We later found out that if Nicola didn’t know or remember your name, he would call you Charlie. If you were fishing under the Throggs Neck Bridge or Fort Schuyler, it meant you would soon become a friend to Nicola. He would give the shirt off his back for anyone who needed it. Most remember Nicola with a smile on his face….could have been from him sneaking a jug of wine in the basement. Nicola appreciated the simple pleasures in life. He enjoyed spending time with family and close friends, as well as a wide range of hobbies that included watching classic western movies, Abbot and Costello, The Three Stooges and fishing.
Nicola closed his eyes during the early morning hours of Sunday October 23, 2022, at the age of 88. He is preceded in death by his parents, his wife Maria, and four brothers and sisters. Nicola leaves to mourn his memory his son: Frank & wife Tracy Scalera, daughter Erina (Irene) and husband Donald Ponzini and daughter Nancy and husband Peter Rizzo. He was also Crazy Uncle Nick to over 40 nieces and nephews. But, Grandpa (PooBa) will be cherished most by his 8 grandchildren who will miss him dearly: Nicholas, Anthony, Richard, Daniel, Maria, Frank II, Michael and Guiliana.