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Joseph J Fidanza 1890 - 1988

Joe Fidance Sr. of 3206 Lancaster Ave, in Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware United States was born on November 25, 1890 in Wilmington to Vincenzo Fidanza and Anna Della Paolera. Joe Fidance died at age 98 years old on December 14, 1988 in Wilmington, and was buried at Silverbrook Cemetery 3300 Lancaster Pike, in Wilmington.

Joe Fidance Sr.

3206 Lancaster Ave, in Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware 19805, United States

November 25, 1890

Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware, United States

December 14, 1988

Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware, United States

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Joseph J Fidanza Joe Fidance (1890 - 1988)

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Joe Fidance Sr.'s History: 1890 - 1988

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11/25

1890

Birthday

November 25, 1890

Birthdate

Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware United States

Birthplace

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Ethnicity & Family History

Joe was the son of Vincenzo and Anna (Della Paolera) Fidanza. Vincenzo and Anna were Italian immigrants from Caserta, Campania, Italy. They arrived in Delaware in 1884 with their oldest child, Antonio, a baby at the time. Joseph had nine siblings that I have found. Of those, only Joseph and his younger sister Rose grew to adulthood, married and had children. His brother Antonio died at age 20 of typhoid fever.
Nationality & Locations

Joseph spent his life in Wilmington, Delaware. Near as I can tell he did not travel.
Early Life & Education

Joseph had an 8th grade education, fairly typical for the Italian American community at the time. After that he went to work. He only semi-retired after age 92.
Religious Beliefs

Joseph was a dedicated Roman Catholic all his life. He attended one particular Catholic church in Wilmington, and attended Mass early every Sunday. He didn't talk about his religion, but he lived it.
Military Service

Joseph did not serve in the military, that I have been able to ascertain. He registered during WW1, but already had a business to run and family to support.
Professional Career

Joseph began his working life as a stone cutter, and in the 1930s he went into the gravestone monument business with his cousin Antonio DeLellis. At some point the two parted ways as business partners, and Joseph set up his business, Elsmere Marble and Granite Company, on the corner of Lancaster Avenue and DuPont Rd. His slogan was "Mark Every Grave." He built a house on that corner and moved his young family into it. The house had an office in it that overlooked his stoneyard, so that he could see customers arriving. There he lived to the end of his life. Eventually his son Vincent joined the business with his father. There is not a section of any cemetery in or around Wilmington that does not have gravestones in it from Elsmere Marble and Granite. In the early years, he hand carved the stones, with names, dates and whatever filigree designs his customers desired. Later on he invested in a sandblasting machine to etch the stones. In his old age his hands were quite arthritic and his hearing severely damaged by these tools. Nevertheless, he lived to age 96, and he is buried across the street from his house in Silverbrook Cemetery.
Personal Life & Family

Joseph was married to Anna V. (Chickadel) Fidance, also a child of Italian immigrants, and the two of them had six children together. Joe lost Anna when she died in 1964. To the end of his life, Joseph used his Italian surname Fidanza, when most of the family used the more American version, Fidance. Joseph was a participating member of Wilmington's Italian American community, belonging to the Knights of Columbus and a number of other organizations. My mother told me that early on one of his activities was singing with a local chapter of the Society for the Preservation of Barbershop Singing in America. I haven't looked for documentation on this. Joseph also had a close circle of friends in town.
12/14

1988

Death

December 14, 1988

Death date

Pneumonia

Cause of death

Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware United States
Death location

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Gravesite & Burial

mm/dd/yyyy
Funeral date
Silverbrook Cemetery 3300 Lancaster Pike, in Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware 19805, United States
Burial location
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