Al Apuzzo

Al Apuzzo died on May 12, 2020 in his home, just two months short of his 100^th birthday. Al lost his beloved wife of 77 years, Anna, in January of this year, proving that he had no desire to live a life without her. He is survived by his children, Christine and Keith, and their spouses, Jay and Carmen, and his beloved grandchildren, Emily, Jamie, and Sam.

            The son of Jeanette and Angelo, he was born and raised in Manhattan by his mother, who was widowed when Al was only 3 years old. The death of his father eventually prompted a move to 65^th Street, where he would meet Anne, the love of his life. 

            Al’s mother, Jeanette, sent him to Fordham Prep School, and then Al went on to Fordham University. During his college years, he enlisted in the Air Force to serve in World War II. In the midst of serving, Anne and Al were married on May 17, 1943, and Al left only 10 days later for England, where he served in the 8^th Air Force 100^th Bomb Group. He was a radar and radio operator in the nosecone of a B17, flying a total of 50 missions. He returned 2 and a half years later to complete his studies at Fordham University, and graduated with a degree in chemistry.

            Al declined an admission to medical school in order to start a family, something he had always longed to do. He and Anne would have two children, and move to Uniondale, where they both resided in the same home for 65 years. As a homeowner, he enjoyed working on his home, car, and garden. Around the same time, his love of flying and chemistry would land him a job with Grumman as a chemical engineer. He proudly worked on projects such as the Lunar Module (LEM), F14, and the E2C. His precision and hard work earned him respect and recognition from his coworkers and the United States Navy.

            Al was known by family and friends to be entirely human, as all who knew him could describe him as having a strong, yet also loving personality. Al and Anne were a true vision of a couple made for each other, as Anne’s kind heart and soul frequently motivated Al to become the very best version of himself. Al was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather, and will be greatly missed.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Al’s alma mater, and one of his favorite places in the world, Fordham University, in his name. Online donations can be made at fordham.edu/give or by phone at (212) 636-6550.

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