Pietro Restivo

Pietro Restivo, 85, born on June 29, 1931 in Racalmuto, Italy, passed away peacefully on May 1, 2017. He resided in Pasadena, California, at the time of his passing.

He was the youngest of four children, born to Francesca and Salvatore Restivo. He apprenticed as a blacksmith when he was a teenager and served in the Italian Air Force (after WWII). He worked in the salt mines near town, but eventually grew restless with the limited opportunities in Sicily and applied for immigration to America. Several years passed and he decided to try his luck in Venezuela to find work and spent a year and a half exploring prospects in Caracas.
Eventually, he returned home to marry his girl next door, Stella. They had two daughters born while in Racalmuto, Francesca and Teresa then later, Salvina was born in America. And he was a loving grandfather to Michael Nicholas and Anthony Peter; and father-in-law to Vito.

The call from America finally came and the family settled in the Highland Park suburb of Los Angeles. Pietro had a job waiting for him when he arrived and worked as a machinist for US Electrical Motors and later for Northrup Grumman. He was very proud of his work on national defense aircraft such as the B-2 bomber.
He made his own red wine and was passionate about history, art and all things Italian. He loved opera and played the clarinet in marching bands as a young man and the Monterey Park band in his senior years.

Pietro is predeceased by his wife (in January 2010) and siblings. He is survived by his three daughters and 2 grandchildren.

A viewing will be held at 11:30 a.m. followed by a funeral Mass at 1:00 pm on Friday, May 12 at Saint Peter's Italians Church, 1039 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012.

Flowers or donations to Villa Scalabrini: http://www.villascalabrini.com/ways-to-give/

Arrangements are under the direction of Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California.