Obituary of Salvatore (Sam) Carissimo

Salvatore (Sam) Carissimo , 77, of Rome, beloved husband, father and grandfather, passed away Friday, January 30, 2009 at Rome Memorial Hospital after a brief illness. He was born in Rome, N.Y. on November 22, 1931, son of the late Peter and Carmella Vaccaro Carissimo. Sam was educated in Rome schools. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard from 1951 to 1954. On June 11, 1955, he married Nancy J. Balog in St. Peter's Church; a blessed union of 53 years. Sam retired from Griffiss Air Force Base in 1987, as chief of data automation, after 35 years of service. He was a member of St. John the Baptist Church and Rome Elks Club. Sam was a devoted and loving husband, father and grandfather. His grandchildren were a great source of joy. Surviving besides his beloved wife, Nancy, are two sons and a daughter-in-law, Craig and Tina Carissimo, Tampa, Fla., Scott Carissimo, Rome; five grandchildren, Tory, Jenna, Meghan, Jonathan and Dylan Carissimo; two sisters-in-law, Louise Carissimo, Rome, and Vivian Carissimo, Springfield, Mo.; and several nieces and nephews, with a special acknowledgement to his niece, Paula, and her husband, Tony Borruso. He was predeceased by six brothers, Leonard, John, Paul, Peter, Dominick and Anthony Carissimo. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday at 9:45 a.m. from the Nicholas J. Bush Funeral Home, Inc., 218 W. Court St., and at St. John the Baptist Church at 10:30 a.m. Burial will be in St. John's Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home on Monday from 4-7 p.m.