Domenick Del Vecchio, 94, of North Kingstown, passed away on March 7, surrounded by his loving family. He is the loving husband of the late Dorothy L. Del Vecchio. He was the brother of the late Robert Del Vecchio, Marie DeSisto, and Madeline Caroselli. Born in Warwick, he was the son of the late Joseph and Angelina (Pelosi) Del Vecchio. Many family and friends knew Domenick and Dorothy as Tom and Louise, respectively.

Domenick was the loving and dedicated father of eight children – Ellen Ghering, the late David, Thomas, Dianne Preble, Gary, Jeannette Del Vecchio, James, and Ronald. He was also the doting grandfather to 20 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren. He was the essence of what a father and grandfather should be. His influence will remain with family and friends for generations. Being the focal point of a very large family made Domenick and Dorothy the absolute patriarch and matriarch. They touched countless lives in a very positive way which including family, friends, and farm customers alike.

Domenick and Dorothy were true partners in life and loved each other dearly. Once married, they moved to North Kingstown and through hard work and devotion, they built a thriving farm (The Del Vecchio Family Farm, Est. 1942) and raised a family that is well respected throughout the northeast and beyond. They worked side-by-side over a span of 75 years of marriage. Domenick was always investing himself in the farm and serving as the foundation of the family. He could almost always be found either on a tractor in the fields, at the blueberries, or in the barn working. He loved his cows and seeing the new calves every spring romping in the pastures. He also had a passion for thoroughbred horses. Employing a strong resolve, he always did things the way he wanted them done. His work ethic and drive were unmatched.

Another great aspect of Domenick’s character was his unending willingness to help people. He was always there with a lending hand for those who needed it. A tribute to him is the fact that he created a family that is so loving that they took turns staying with him overnight in the farmhouse every night since Dorothy passed more than two years ago – amazing. Domenick and Dorothy always took in relatives and friends and made them feel like parts of the family – all were welcome to join for meals, holidays, special occasions and, of course, to help do the farm work.

Domenick had a strong belief in traditions and taught people the importance keeping them going. Whether it be large holiday celebrations or big family events or even down to Sunday family dinner every week or consuming no meat on Fridays as a show of faith, Domenick instilled these customs and the importance of faith on the family.  These traditions will forever be part of his legacy.

When he did get a bit of free time, Domenick would enjoy watching all the New England sports teams on the television. He very much had a love/hate relationship with all of the teams he would watch. Like his own life, he wanted them to always put in the proper effort and hard work. He would let the TV and all those around him know when the players fell short of that. And he would, of course, celebrate their success as well.

For the last two-plus years, Domenick had been heartbroken over Dorothy’s passing. However, whenever he spoke to someone, he always said positively – “I am hanging in there.” The whole family has found peace in knowing that they are now together again. Their remarkable story continues in heaven.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Thursday, March 12, at 11 a.m. at St. Francis de Sales Church, School St., North Kingstown. Burial will be in Quidnessett Memorial Cemetery, North Kingstown. Calling hours:  Wednesday, March 11, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Hill Funeral Home, 822 Main St., East Greenwich. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. To make a donation, please visit www.lls.org and click DONATE in the top right corner. We ask that you use the “Personalize Your Donation” section of the page and make this donation a tribute. Please then select “In Memory Of” and then add the names “Domenick and Dorothy DelVecchio.” Thank you.

The digital guestbook can be signed at the Hill Funeral Home website HERE.