Vincent DiPierro
Vincent (Vinny) DiPierro, an Italian immigrant who came to Peekskill on the SS Andrea Doria when he was 17 years old, died October 3 at the age of 89. Born in Bisceglie, Italy, as the youngest of seven children to Giovanni and Angela (Ventura) DiPierro on January 3, 1936, he became an American citizen in 1959. Four years later he married Jo-Ann Bertoline at Assumption Church.
In a story repeated throughout immigrant America to this day, Vinny began his years of employment as a dishwasher. He learned the trade of butchering, becoming a master butcher, working at First National supermarket in Yonkers. He eventually joined his brothers in the family business, Hygeia Ice and Fuel, in Peekskill. Retiring from that business, he picked up the trade of his youth and returned to butchering at Grand Union (now Shop & Stop) in Peekskill and Cole’s Market in Montrose.
Vinny worked at Cole’s Market into his 70s and co-proprietor Trisha Cole-Delamater recalls his friendly disposition when he showed up for work every day. She also remembers encountering him at weekly Rotary meetings at Crystal Bay Restaurant (now Fin & Brew) when she was the catering manager there. “He was the kindest man. He went out of his way to say hello and was always friendly. It was the same when he worked here. He was young at heart.”
In the early 1960s he became a volunteer firefighter, serving with Columbian Hose No. 1 and Cortlandt Hook and Ladder. Promoted to the rank of Captain, he served as a trustee. Vinny’s wife Jo-Ann recalls the many times their family would be sitting down to dinner when the fire siren sounded. He would push back his chair from the table and, despite her protestations that it’s dinner time, he responded to the call. He was also a long standing member of the Westchester County Volunteer Firefighter’s Association.
“From the moment I became a volunteer firefighter in 1998, Vinny welcomed me, supported me, and was always a total gentleman. I have the utmost respect for Vinny and appreciated his support and friendship over the years,” said volunteer firefighter Sue Sheridan.
Twenty years after he began volunteering with the fire department, he joined the Peekskill Rotary Club, whose motto is “Service Above Self”’ As a member of the club who exemplified that slogan, he was awarded the prestigious Paul Harris Fellow distinction in 1988. A favorite event of his Rotary tenure was running the grill in the cooking tent of the Horse Show, which was the club’s largest fundraiser. Today it has been replaced by Rotary’s Fall Festival that was held October 4, a day after Vinnie died.
Fellow Rotarian Howard Copeland remembers Vinny as being “well-respected” and always supporting the work of Rotary. Vinny’s son Dean grew up participating in Rotary events and was encouraged by his father to rise through leadership and become president of the club. “Vinny could have been president, but he wanted his son Dean to have the honor,” recalls Copeland.
Vinny’s community involvement extended to his membership in the Peekskill Elks Lodge. In 2013 the Italian Heritage Society honored him for his service to his community and his country of origin.
Traveling back to Italy with his wife, family and friends to visit his sisters and relatives was one of Vinny’s favorite pastimes. He was also extremely proud of his vegetable garden and boasted of having the best tomatoes. An avid soccer fan, he coached and refereed youth soccer games and when he wasn’t doing that he was cheering on his favorite teams.
He is survived by his wife, sons Vincent (Maria) DiPierro, Dean (Laura) DiPierro, and Matt (Cathy) Donnelly; and grandchildren Cassandra, Nick, Alexandra, Dean, Evelyn and Kate. He is also survived by sister Suora Grazina DiPierro, a nun at the Divine Providence in Bisceglie, Italy. He was predeceased by siblings Pete, Frank (“Dominick”), Sergio, and Catherine.
- Sourced from the Joseph F. Nardone Home with additional reporting by Regina Clarkin
Reginald S. Evans, Sr
On September 24, 2025, our beloved Reginald Evans joined the choir of angels in heaven, lifting his voice in eternal praise. At 88 years old, he left this world just as he lived in it, faithful, steadfast, and surrounded by love. Born on November 29, 1936, in Antigua to the late Hilda and Arthur Evans, Reginald’s life was a blessing to all who knew him.
For 57 years, he walked hand in hand with his devoted wife, Jenice Evans, building a marriage rooted in love, strength, and faith. Together they raised a family that became his greatest pride and joy, Lisa McNeil, Reginald Evans Jr., Michael Evans, Stephen Evans, Gerard Henry, Allen George, and Annika George, and he welcomed with open arms the children who joined his family through marriage: Theodore McNeil, Morgana Mann-Evans, Bonnie St. John Evans, Alaina Evans, and Marsha George.
“Grandpa” was the name he carried with the deepest joy. He poured his love into each of his grandchildren: Israel, Brianne, Elisha, Arianna, Reginald III, Emmanuel, Sade, Michael, Janaya, Boston, Hannah, Joshua, Zion, Allen Jr., Isaiah, Sarah, Aiyana, Rachel, Caleb, Jordan, Adrian, John, Aidon, Aaron, Ahmori, Amayah, Abel, and Maya. His joy grew even fuller with the blessing of his great-grandchildren, Aria, Kahlo, Harp, Grace, Mia, Emmanuel Jr., Ciryl, Lyric, Prianca, Juele, Jordan Jr., and Raelyn, whose laughter brightened his later years. With a heart wide open, he also embraced his grandchildren through marriage, Matthew, Briana, and Priscilla, as if they had always been his own. And beyond them all, his love reached into the lives of a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, and uncles, each of whom held him dearly in return.
Reginald’s gifts were abundant and extraordinary. As a master carpenter, he built bridges and buildings that touched the world and legacies that touched hearts at home. His hands shaped timber into beauty and strength, leaving behind not only the structures he created but also the lessons of patience, precision, and pride in one’s work. Just as he shaped timber into something lasting and beautiful, he shaped his family with faith, love, and unwavering guidance. In the kitchen, he carried the same passion, preparing meals that drew the family together. His food was never just about nourishment; it was about love, about gathering, about creating memories around the table that will never be forgotten.
His voice was another remarkable gift, deep, melodious, and full of life, lifting in song both at Christ Alive Ministries, where he worshiped faithfully, and in every cherished moment at home. When he sang, it was as though heaven itself leaned close to listen, and in that sacred sound, a divine presence filled the room. Each note carried peace, hope, and joy, wrapping family and friends in the warmth of love and faith. Though he now sings with the angels, his voice still rings loudly in the ears of his family, echoing in their hearts and memories, a lasting reminder of God’s grace and the love he poured into their lives.
Above all, Reginald was a devoted servant of Jesus Christ. He lived with integrity, walked faithfully, and led his family by example, teaching them to love God, to cherish one another, and to live with strength and purpose. To his family, he was more than husband, father, and grandfather; he was their rock, their guide, and their greatest encourager.
His life was a blessing, his presence a gift, his memory a treasure and the light of his love will never fade from the hearts of those who knew him.
Sister Sheila Kelly
Sister Sheila Kelly (aka Eileen Kelly), a Sister of the Good Shepherd for 69 years, went home to God peacefully in her home at Cabrini of Westchester on Sunday, Oct. 5, surrounded by Sisters, friends and family.
A native Brooklynite, Sheila was first generation Irish, and her home was filled with Irish music and tales of “the old country”. She nurtured those roots every March 17, viewing the St. Patrick’s Day Parade from the 5th Avenue grandstand with her dad and later marching up 5th Avenue with either the AOH (Ancient Order of Hibernians)or one of the counties, most notably Tyrone or Monaghan, the birthplace of her parents.
Sheila had worked at a bank on Wall Street before she felt the call to religious life and was introduced to the Good Shepherd Sisters through a friend of friend. More than just the “friend of a friend,” he was the brother of one of the Sisters, so well familiar with the Congregation
Sheila’s zeal and love for the mission was evident in her many positions of leadership – as group mother at Good Shepherd residential programs in Albany and Peekskill, supervisor of the house parents at the Good Shepherd group home in the Bronx, on the Province Leadership Team, first as Councilor and then Province Leader, and Family Activity Supervisor at Good Shepherd Services Foster Care program.
Sheila exuded a spirit of welcome and understanding to all in her care and was especially attentive to our older Sisters. She was also quick to send cards to anyone celebrating an event or just in need of a cheerful note. A true daughter of St. Mary Euphrasia, Sheila “loved with all the strength of her soul.”
Growing up a loyal Brooklyn Dodgers fan, Sheila mourned their move to LA but, years later, happily switched her allegiance and became an avid Mets fan. Halloween held a special charm for Sheila; not only would she dress in costume at home to celebrate with the other sisters but then she would go out visiting friends. Sheila’s real goal was always to bring a smile to others! She embraced all that life offered with a great sense of humor, grace, deep faith, and love of family, friends and her Good Shepherd vocation.
Even after her retirement, Sheila stayed engaged in ministry. She entered the chaplaincy program and volunteered at Calvary Hospital in the Bronx as well as Hudson Valley Hospital. She also served for 3 years at St Patrick’s in Yorktown, NY, overseeing the parish home bound program.
For many years, Sheila made her home in Peekskill, NY with the Franciscan Sisters but graciously moved to Cabrini of Westchester in Dobbs Ferry when she needed more care. Sheila will be remembered for her skills, of course, but more importantly for her compassion, understanding and the many ways she loved with the Great Heart of God.
She is survived by her loving sisters Una Fitzpatrick (Paul), Sheila O’Keefe (Kevin), and Kathleen Byrnes, her brother Edward Kelly (Cathy) and a legion of nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her parents Mary and Hugh, sister Joan Downey, and brothers-in-law Larry Byrnes and John Downey.
Her wake was held on Wednesday, Oct. 8, at Dorsey-Carlone Funeral Home and Mass will be held on Thursday, Oct. 9, at 10 am at Villa St. Francis (250 South St, Peekskill, NY 10566). The location is wheelchair accessible.
Burial will follow the Mass on Thursday, Oct. 9, at the Sisters of the Good Shepherd burial site, located at Mount Saint Florence Cemetery. To get there, input ‘Chapel Hill Drive, Peekskill, NY 10566’ into Google Maps (it’s right off Maple Avenue). Look for the tall hedges on the right side of the road; the cemetery gate is in the middle of the hedges.
- Sourced from Dorsey-Carlone Funeral Home
James M. Sandoval Jr.
James M. Sandoval Jr., 38, entered eternal rest on Friday, Oct. 3 2025. He was a lifelong resident of Peekskill, NY.
James was born on July 8, 1987 in Cortlandt Manor, NY. He is survived by his three children, James, Jeremy and Jason, their mothers Danielle and Genna, brothers Andres, John and Steven Sandoval, Ronald Dunwoody and many extended family members. James is predeceased by his mother, Dorothy (Dunwoody) Sandoval, father James Sandoval Sr, Godmother Nancy Dunwoody and several aunts and uncles.
In the earlier stages of James’s life, he was a volunteer firefighter for the Peekskill Fire Department, where he was awarded Firefighter of the Year in 2012. James was an avid fan of the Buffalo Bills Mafia. His hobbies included attending his weekly Tuesday dart league, collecting football and baseball cards and feeding the turtles down at Depew Park with his three boys.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to the American Kidney Foundation.
- Sourced from Dorsey-Carlone Funeral Home
