Vincent Santo (“Vinnie”) Riccitelli, our cherished father, grandfather and friend, passed into eternal peace on Wednesday, July 9, 2025 at the age of 99. 

Vinnie was born to the late Vincenzo (“Jimmy”) and Esther Riccitelli, June 16, 1926, in Yonkers, NY.  He graduated from Gorton High School in Yonkers in 1944 and promptly enlisted in the Navy, serving on a combat ship in the Pacific for two years.  He married his longtime sweetheart Jean Krupa (“the only girl I ever loved”) in 1956 at St. Mary’s Church.  They were happily married for 57 years and made their home and raised their children in Yonkers. 

Vinnie found immense joy in his family, clever humor and his first love, music, which he considered to be the highest form of art and a gift from God.  A revered jazz musician, his soulful playing delighted audiences for over eight decades.  Vinnie performed on stage with virtually every major entertainer of his era, including Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Sammy Davis, Jr., Tony Bennett, Dean Martin, the Jackson Five, the Temptations, Liberace and many hundreds more.  He was constantly in demand as a player due to his uncanny ability to improvise harmonies on the fly, and for his sweet, melodic soloing.  As he liked to say “there are only twelve notes, but look what you can do with them!” 

Music was the only form of employment Vinnie ever had.  He started his musical career at the tender age of 15 with a summer-long gig in the Catskills along with his older brother Joe, an accomplished accordian player.  Vinnie came of age during the golden era of big band jazz, quickly distinguishing himself with a tone and style that was smooth, lyrical and unmistakenly his own.  He released a wonderful album of jazz originals on RKO Records in the mid 1950’s.  He was not only a master performer, composer and arranger but also a generous mentor.  Vinnie taught countless young musicians and took many aspiring players under his wing, helping them become established in the New York music scene.  Even in his later years he remained active, performing well into his 90s, and recording several more albums, one of which reached number one on the jazz charts in March of 2021, when Vinnie was a youthful 94 years old - truly a priceless moment and a wonderful capstone on his career. 

Offstage, Vinnie was a devoted family man.  He loved his wife, Jean and children and grandchildren deeply.  He and Jean established a strong moral compass and a solid work ethic.  They worked hard to put their children through college and were immensely proud of their accomplishments.  Vinnie grew up appreciating great food, as his mom, Esther (“Nana”), was a true magician in the kitchen.  The family gathered for huge Italian feasts at Nana’s house every Sunday for many years. 

Vinnie loved sports and was an enthusiastic Mets and Jets fan.  He landed a coveted gig in the official Jets band in the early 1970s, performing at the stadium before games and at halftime dressed in the big green official Jets overcoat.  He also enjoyed movies, TV comedies and crosswords.  Vinnie had a million musical stories to tell, many of them quite hilarious, and showered them generously on his friends and family. 

He had many hundreds of dear friends and musical colleagues and was universally loved by them all.  People only had good things to say about him. 

His trusty alto saxophone may be silent now, but his music—and his spirit—will live on.  He leaves behind a legacy of recordings, live performances, and lives touched by his music, stories, kindness, guidance and friendship.  Rest in peace, dear sweet Vinnie.  

Vinnie and his family would like to acknowledge his end-of-life caretakers: Rebecca, Samuel, Rachel and Diane, for their kindness, care and dedication.  

Vinnie is survived by the family he loved so dearly: three children: James Riccitelli of Gilbert, AZ, Laura Cohen of Old Tappan, NJ, and Vincent Riccitelli of New Paltz, NY, daughter-in-law Perlina Riccitelli, son-in-law Howard Cohen and grandchildren Aiden, Max and Michael.  He was predeceased by his parents, wife Jean and brother Joseph. 

We will gather to celebrate Vinnie’s life at Sinatra Memorial Home (499 Yonkers Avenue in Yonkers, NY) on Monday, July 14 from 4-8pm.  Mass will be held at 10am on Tuesday, July 15 at Mount Carmel St. Anthony Church in Yonkers.  Burial will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Yonkers.