Obituary of Frank James Riscili

WESTFIELD - Frank James Riscili, 94, of Pratt Road, Westfield, New York, died at home on December 8, 2010 after a long illness. He was born in Westfield on September 8, 1916, son of the late Giuseppe and Concetta LaBarbera Riscili. Frank served in the United States Army from April, 1941 to December, 1945 having spent time in England, France, Holland, Luxembourg and Germany with the 1256th Combat Engineers. After discharge from the service he attended the Art Institute in Buffalo, N.Y. and then returned to Westfield and with his brother, George, formed the Riscili Bros. Custom Spray Business. Frank and George soon expanded the business to include a grape and dairy farm in the Town of Portland, N.Y. After the partnership was dissolved, Frank continued to operate the Portland farm and purchased the Harper Farm on Pratt Road where he resided until his death. Frank was a member of St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Westfield Growers Co-operative, National Rifle Association, Westfield Fish & Game Club, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Loyal Order of Moose. He formerly served on the Town of Portland Zoning Board of Appeals. Frank was an avid outdoorsman, loved to hunt and fish, and had an artistic talent for wood carving and painting. He was a loving and devoted father and grandfather, a man of integrity, who was always willing to help others and share his gifts and talents. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Madeline Armfelt Riscili, whom he married on February 14, 1952 in Ripley, N.Y., his daughter, Christine and husband, William Voorhees, and his daughter, Catherine and husband, John Staszewski. He is further survived by five grandchildren, Matthew, Lucas and Catharine Voorhees, and John Mitchell and Madeline Staszewski, and one brother, George, and several nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by five sisters, Josephine, Natalina, Petrina, Rose and infant, Natalina, and three brothers, Pasquale, Nicholas and Salvatore. Friends will be received by the family from 4-7 p.m. on Sunday, December 12, 2010 in the MASON Funeral Home, 37 Clinton St., Westfield. The funeral will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, December 13, 2010 at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Westfield with Deacon Virginia Carr, Rector, officiating. Burial will be in Union Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Frank J. Riscili Scholarship Fund at Westfield School, 193 E. Main St., Westfield, NY 14787 or St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Elm Street, Westfield, or Hospice, Chautauqua County, 20 West Fairmount Ave., Jamestown, N.Y. 14787. Log on to www.masonfuneral.com to send Frank's family a message of sympathy.