Vito Leonardo Di Maria

Vito Leonardo DiMaria, peacefully, passed away at age 50, on August 8th, 2022. At the time of his death, Mr. Di Maria was in Transylvania, North Carolina where he was working the summer season in Lake Toxaway as a waiter for Osteria del Monte. Vito was born on July 17, 1972 in Gerritsen Beach Brooklyn, NY, the youngest son of Sicilian immigrants. As a child Vito developed a life-long love of sports when he played baseball for Gerritsen Beach Little League and football team, the ‘Hurricanes’. He graduated grammar school from Resurrection Catholic School and started building culinary arts skills working in the family's Italian delicatessen, ‘Leo’s’, by age 13. The DiMaria's loved and were respected in the Gerritsen Beach community and lived in an apartment above the deli. By the age of 13, Vito was running the deli, from dealing with the vendors, to do ordering, to working the counter and sweeping the floor! Vito finished his formal education, earning his New York State High School diploma. Vito loved New York, but loved to explore. He, at various times, lived in Pennsylvania- working at his relatives’ pizzeria or Italian Ice company. He, also, lived and worked at fine dining restaurants on Long Island's Gold Coast, as well as, in the Palm Beach area in Florida. All of these various adventures, being able to speak English, Italian and Spanish, along with Vito's natural charm gave him the expertise to become a successful and much sought after waiter. For the last two decades, Vito worked as a waiter in the some of nations’ finest restaurants. He waited on celebrities, always handled with finesse (even with the occasional difficult customer), and made many long-term, warm relationships with his beloved regulars. For the past few years, Vito spirited between North Carolina and Florida, when the Summer season ended, to work the Winter season, where he lived with his dear Mom. Vito was extremely proud of his Sicilian heritage and was an expert on the movie ‘The Godfather’. Upon the birth of his great- niece, Althea Pastina DiMaria, Vito was determined to make matching Godfather shirts for the two of them, with the infamous saying “Leave the gun, take the cannoli!” While Vito's greatest passion was his family and friends, he also had a passion for FOOD... United States of America...The New York Yankees....dogs…motorcycles and, of course, he loved a good long nap! Vito was a ‘once in a lifetime’ person. While many have wept over his passing, there has been much laughter that turns into tears from a "Vito story". Vito was predeceased by his father Leonardo DiMaria and his brother-in-law, Jay Cohen. He is survived by his beloved mother, Marianna DiMaria; his loving brother and sister-in-law, Nick and Jeannie DiMaria; his loving sister, Maria Cohen; and his loving sister and brother-in-law, Sara and Paul Mitrovich. Vito, also, left behind his adored nephew and his wife and their daughter, Nicolo and Liz DiMaria and (great niece) Althea; adored nephews, Vincent and Joseph DiMaria; and, adored niece, Annamarie Mitrovich. Vito, also, leaves behind many aunts, uncles and cousins in the United States, Sicily and Italy. The family asks that in lieu of flowers a donation be made in Vito's name to https://www.heart.org/en/get-involved/ways-to-give Ciao Bella.

Vito Leonardo Di Maria

July 17, 1972 - August 8, 2022