Frederick R. Ficorelli II
Frederick R. Ficorelli II died Wednesday, March 2, at Peconic Bay Medical Center, following a brief battle with cancer. He was 66.
Born to Gladys Schweinsburg Ficorelli and Frederick R. Ficorelli, he grew up in Sag Harbor and attended Pierson High School. He earned a bachelor’s in English and a master’s degree in English education at the State University of New York in Albany. Mr. Ficorelli taught seventh and eighth grade English in the Smithtown School District from 1968 to 2000, at which time he retired and returned to his beloved Sag Harbor community. He was respected by colleagues and students alike for his innovative approach to teaching and for his determination to support each student and cultivate their abilities and creativity. “Mr. Fic” remained a true teacher in his last days, as he enjoyed conversations with nursing students and medical assistants. Charming, witty and engaging even in his illness, he was delighted to observe young people dedicated to learning and to providing care to others, survivors said.
Mr. Ficorelli gave generously of his time and talents, and volunteered for the Dominican Sisters thrift store in Sag Harbor. He enjoyed attending theater productions in Manhattan and maintaining close ties to a devoted community of teaching colleagues.
As he strolled “down street” for his morning coffee, he always had a ready smile and a welcoming heart for all those he met. He truly celebrated his life in Sag Harbor and often remarked on how important small town communities remain in nurturing the future. Each day began and ended with the companionship of his beloved Philomena, a cat he adopted from the Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons, which transformed his retirement years.
Mr. Ficorelli is survived by cousins, Lawrence L. Schweinsburg Jr. of Maryland, Cathy Salargo of North Carolina, Mary Schweinsburg North of Sag Harbor, Rev. Richard Schweinsburg of Rhode Island, Bethany Deyermond of Sag Harbor, Carlene Butler of New Jersey, Joseph Cosgrove of Florida, Dolores Cosgrove of Colorado, Diana Ficorelli of Florida, Mary Alice Pidgeon of Florida, Linda Cancellieri of Colorado, Trisha Ficorelli and Barbara Vorbs of Nassau County, and Ronald Logan of Water Mill. He was predeceased by two cousins, Clifford James Schweinsburg and Tom Ficorelli.
A memorial gathering will be held at a later date. Memorial donations to East End Hospice, P.O. Box 1048, Westhampton Beach, NY 11978; Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons, arfhamptons.org; or Dominican Sisters Health Services,103-6 Montauk Highway, Hampton Bays, NY 11946, would be appreciated by the family.
on Mar 15, 2011