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This is the obituary of my great uncle Nick.Like most men of the greatest generation they very rarely talked about their service.They did what was necessary to defeat the enemies of our nation without fanfare.They came home,found work,started a family,created businesses and engaged in their passions.My great uncle Nick was just this sort of man.Will the world ever see such an unselfish generation such as these men and women?
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Nicolino, F. Sterio, 97, passed away peacefully at his home on Monday, May 18.
The son of the late Carmelo and Maria Sterio, Nick was born May 20 in Oswego, New York. The second of three children, he attended and graduated from Oswego High School, and later Aviation School in Elmira, New York.

Nick began a musical career that would span his lifetime, at a young age, first learning to play the banjo, and earning a small wage playing with his father’s Italian American Citizens Band.At Oswego High, he learned to play the clarinet, and at 16 years old performed for the first time with the Oswego City Summer Concert Band.

After attending Aviation School, where he proudly met Orville Wright, he enlisted in the United States Army Air Corp. in 1941, spending time in Biloxi, Mississippi, and Corpus Christi, Texas, where he became a member of the “Air-Sea Rescue”. While in the service he also attended George Peabody College, now part of Vanderbilt University, in Nashville Tennessee.

He returned to Oswego, working as a carpenter for many years before opening Sterio’s Men’s Shop in 1954. He married his wife of 62 years, Adele Stracuzzi in 1958, and they raised two children, David and Judy, in his family homestead. Nick was a life member of many organizations including the American Federation of Musicians, Oswego Country Club, Carpenter’s Union Local 747 (now 277), Elks Club, American Legion, Knights of Columbus, Charles C. Crisafulli Post, and was past president/vice president of the Oswego County Musician’s Union, Oswego Kiwanis, Oswego Jaycees, Oswego YMCA and Retail Merchants. Nick was also a Board Member and Trustee of the Oswego City Labor Board and served two years in Oswego government representing the Fourth Ward.

Besides his family and business interests, Nick’s true passion was his music. His career took off in the 1940’s, when he started his first band, a quartet, which played regularly at The Hillview Inn. As time went on, the bands got bigger, the gigs more frequent, and in their heyday, his Nick Sterio Orchestra was playing two, three and sometimes four jobs a weekend. Nick’s band was the “Go-To” group for every wedding, prom, fraternity/sorority formal, dinner dance and Policeman’s/Fireman’s Charity Ball for many years. Most every prominent musician in Central New York played with Nick during his 75-year run as a band leader. Those musicians became life-long friends and memories. Late in his career, while in his eighties, he performed several times with the National Community Band along the east coast, and at 92, Nick was still performing with the Oswego City Band, the longest participating member of the organization.

In recent years, Nick and his wife Adele were still very active around the Oswego community, enjoying dinners at their favorite restaurants in town, golfing at the Oswego Country Club, and/or simply enjoying conversations with friends and family. Nick also loved watching his son at Oswego City and Jazz Band concerts, spending time with his daughter and family during the holidays, and practicing his clarinet and saxophone while watching television.

A proud and loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, and uncle, Nick is survived by his devoted wife Adele (Stracuzzi) Sterio of Oswego, son David (Jill) Sterio of Oswego, and daughter Judy Sterio of New York City, grandchildren Shane and Shelby Stepien, great-grandchildren Spencer, Addison, Jameson and Connor, sisters Mamie Ellis, as well as dozens of nieces/nephews in Oswego, Massachusets, Maryland, and California. Nick was predeceased by his sister Mary Loschiavo.

Wish I could have met him. I bet he could tell some stories. Thanks for sharing.
A life well lived.
Originally Posted by bar7mag
Wish I could have met him. I bet he could tell some stories. Thanks for sharing.

Can you image what stories he could tell about his meeting with one of the first aviators,Orville Wright .

Originally Posted by W1bowo
Thanks for sharing.

You're welcome.He was man of few words.
Originally Posted by 280shooter
A life well lived.


That's exactly what my dad said.
Sounds like an awesome guy! Rest in peace Nic.
RIP Sir!🇺🇸
Condolensces on your family's loss.. but you had a great person in your family...

Kudos to Nick for all he did in his life, a life well lived...

and thank you Nick for your service to our nation... during its time of greatest need..

No disrespect to Nick, in fact a statement in awe of them... guys like Nick were once a dime a dozen in this nation..
that was once what was thought of as the American Spirit, where country, community, church and family were put first...
Now replaced by the me generation.. mentioned by John Kennedy in his inauguration speech in 1960..

"Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country" replaced by the exact opposite of his original message..What is my country doing for me this week??

Nick was part of those that made our nation great and what it is.. Like all Americans of those generations.. He deserves the respect and hero status that most of his generation deserve...

I sadly believe it is all gone now.....

Thank you Nick.... for all you did for our nation, your family and your community.. a life well lived....
Peace be with you sir.
Originally Posted by BamBam
Sounds like an awesome guy! Rest in peace Nic.


Thanks BB.

He was just 2 days short of his 98 birthday when he passed.
Originally Posted by keith_dunlap
RIP Sir!🇺🇸

Thanks Keith.
Originally Posted by Seafire
Condolensces on your family's loss.. but you had a great person in your family...

Kudos to Nick for all he did in his life, a life well lived...

and thank you Nick for your service to our nation... during its time of greatest need..

No disrespect to Nick, in fact a statement in awe of them... guys like Nick were once a dime a dozen in this nation..
that was once what was thought of as the American Spirit, where country, community, church and family were put first...
Now replaced by the me generation.. mentioned by John Kennedy in his inauguration speech in 1960..

"Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country" replaced by the exact opposite of his original message..What is my country doing for me this week??

Nick was part of those that made our nation great and what it is.. Like all Americans of those generations.. He deserves the respect and hero status that most of his generation deserve...

I sadly believe it is all gone now.....

Thank you Nick.... for all you did for our nation, your family and your community.. a life well lived....
Peace be with you sir.


Thanks for these words John.I've been in touch with his kids,my aunt and uncle and they would agree with your sentiments.
Originally Posted by rte
Originally Posted by BamBam
Sounds like an awesome guy! Rest in peace Nic.


Thanks BB.

He was just 2 days short of his 98 birthday when he passed.



My dad would have turned 98 this year as well. You are fortunate to have had your great uncle for so many years.
RIP, Sir!

We are better off here for men like this!
RIP sir, you lived a life that was meaningful, filled with great things. He helped save us and entertained us.

God bless you
Originally Posted by OrangeOkie
Originally Posted by rte
Originally Posted by BamBam
Sounds like an awesome guy! Rest in peace Nic.

Thanks BB.
He was just 2 days short of his 98 birthday when he passed.

My dad would have turned 98 this year as well. You are fortunate to have had your great uncle for so many years.

Unfortunately because of our location I didn't see him often.The last time was about five years ago at a family wedding.

He had a long talk with the prettiest member of the band who was playing at my cousins wedding in North Carolina.When I asked why he wasn't playing he said it was too far to ship his instruments,equipment and band members.

He was really fun guy to be around and he danced with all of the young women at the wedding party even at 92.
Originally Posted by rockinbbar
RIP, Sir!
We are better off here for men like this!

Originally Posted by hanco
RIP sir, you lived a life that was meaningful, filled with great things. He helped save us and entertained us.
God bless you


Thank you gentlemen.I feel the same about our "Greatest Generation".
[Linked Image]


My uncle sent this picture to me.It was taken when uncle Nick was 96 and still walking without any aid.

It's his dad,my great uncle,standing next to his father's grave site in the town of Oswego,New York.
rte,

Sorry to hear of this although 97 years aged is quite the full life . Sounds like he did the things he wanted to do in life after the war .

Rest in peace Nicolino F. Sterio good man ..
Originally Posted by ol_mike
rte,
Sorry to hear of this although 97 years aged is quite the full life . Sounds like he did the things he wanted to do in life after the war .
Rest in peace Nicolino F. Sterio good man ..


Thanks ol_mike.
One of the Great Ones.... RIP.
Originally Posted by Oldman3
One of the Great Ones.... RIP.



Thanks Oldman3.
God bless his memory. I wish, to graduate high school, one had to read a thousand of these obits.
Originally Posted by rte
Originally Posted by ol_mike
rte,
Sorry to hear of this although 97 years aged is quite the full life . Sounds like he did the things he wanted to do in life after the war .
Rest in peace Nicolino F. Sterio good man ..


Thanks ol_mike.

You're welcome !!
Originally Posted by oldtrapper
God bless his memory. I wish, to graduate high school, one had to read a thousand of these obits.

Thanks for the blessing.

That's an interesting idea.They don't properly teach American history since many of the teachers unions are Commies.
The first teachers unions in New York were created by Communists.
Originally Posted by 280shooter
A life well lived.


In a beautiful part of this nation as well cool
He lived a full and worthy life. RIP sir!
Condolences Sir.
ASR troops are a special breed of heroes, sadly another of the Greatest Generation has left us,,,God speed and Thank you Sir !.
Originally Posted by Birdwatcher
Originally Posted by 280shooter
A life well lived.

In a beautiful part of this nation as well cool

Thanks Birdie.

Originally Posted by DigitalDan
He lived a full and worthy life. RIP sir!

He certainly did and he was a really fun uncle to be around.

Originally Posted by Mac84
Condolences Sir.

Thank you.

Originally Posted by FlyboyFlem
ASR troops are a special breed of heroes, sadly another of the Greatest Generation has left us,,,God speed and Thank you Sir !.

It's sad to see these heroes leave this world, even more so when you knew them personally.

Thanks for your comments.
R.I.P. Nick. You were a shining example of how your generation came to be known as the "Greatest Generation". I feel lucky to have been raised mostly by members of that generation. My father would have soon been 96 and so many of my uncles and aunts, school teachers, scoutmasters, etc. were of that era. It was an honor to have known so many of them.
Originally Posted by 22250rem
R.I.P. Nick. You were a shining example of how your generation came to be known as the "Greatest Generation". I feel lucky to have been raised mostly by members of that generation. My father would have soon been 96 and so many of my uncles and aunts, school teachers, scoutmasters, etc. were of that era. It was an honor to have known so many of them.
I've known a few,mostly within my own family.

My grandmother,who is Uncle Nicks sister,also served during WWII as an officer in the Navy Waves.

We'll be celebrating her 99TH Birthday in June.

Thanks for your comments sir.
Thank you rte for sharing your story.

It reminds us how lucky we are to be the beneficiaries of that generations sacrifices, and how strong their characters were.

My wife and I were just watching some WWII footage onTV last night and commented what a debt we owe to this greatest generation, and how sad it is how few of the youngest generation today do not realize this.

May he RIP for a job well done and with the gratitude of his nation.
Thanks again Surefire.

My grandad was also one of those men.Unfortunately he died when I was a kid and I didn't get to know him.

He also served in the Navy on board submarines.He met my grandma in a hospital where she tended his injuries after being wounded in combat.My dad still has his purple heart medal.
Sorry for your loss, he was a great American.
Originally Posted by Scotty
Sorry for your loss, he was a great American.

Thanks Scotty.
Thanks for posting.

Uncle Nick was man who not only served his nation at a time of dire need but he also lived the American dream.

Kudos to all of the members of the Greatest Generation.
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