STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Last year at this time we boasted about “Uncle Louie” Lupinacci, and his illustrious life well-lived.
We noted his positive and forgiving nature, that he never harbored resentment and the fact that he was a good friend to all, staying away from anyone who had a negative outlook.
On Sept. 13 — make that Lucky 13 — of last year, “Uncle Louie” became one of the distinguished Staten Islanders who reached the 100-year milestone.
Louis Lupinacci, right, holding his hat, and his family. (Courtesy/Lupinacci family)Staten Island Advance
The birthday celebrant has now turned 101.
Louis Lupinacci (Courtesy/Lupinacci family)Staten Island Advance
“I’ll never forget today as long as I live for another 100 years,” Lupinacci said about last year’s celebration. “It’s the work that the military do that I know of, and because of that I can sleep at night. That was a great generation. They fought so hard and had so much love for one another. By the time basic training was over, you couldn’t split us up. And thank you to the guys who never made it home,” he said before asking everyone to rise to remember them.
Louis Lupinacci poses with Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton at the Capitol Building in Albany. (Courtesy/Lupinacci family)Staten Island Advance
And with that state Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton presented the birthday celebrant with a proclamation stating that his name would be inducted into the Veterans Hall of Fame and be displayed in the Capitol Building in Albany.
Army veterans Louis Lupinacci, receives a framed American flag from Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton at the Capitol Building in Albany. (Courtesy/Lupinacci family)Staten Island Advance
This year, once again, he was honored twice:
A flag in honor of Louis Lupinacci hangs in Port Richmond. (Courtesy/Lupinacci family)Staten Island Advance
Once by Scarcella-Spanton, then again when a flag was raised on Forest Avenue in his name and during a ceremony that followed at Veterans Park in Port Richmond.
Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton presented Louis Lupinacci, known as “Uncle Louis” a Hall of Fame Proclamation that now hangs in the Capitol Building in Albany. (Courtesy/Lupinacci family)Staten Island Advance
Scarcella-Spanton visited “Uncle Louie” at his Rosebank home and presented him with a copy of the proclamation that’s now permanently recorded in Albany.
Louis Lupinacci enjoys a glass of champagne on his birthday. (Courtesy/Lupinacci family)Staten Island AdvanceA little about Lupinacci’s life
Born to Margaret (Pace) and Vincent Lupinacci on Saturday, Sept. 13, 1924, Lupinacci grew up at 57 Mott Street in the Little Italy neighborhood of Manhattan, along with siblings, Vincent, George, Camille and Louis (who passed away at a very young) — “Uncle Louie” was named after him.
He enlisted in the Army during World War II and trained in Fort Sheridan as a machine gunner. He landed in the first wave on Omaha Beach, known as Easy Red, during the Invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944.
Lupinacci explained it was a time when the beaches had to be secured, so they worked their way through France, Belgium, Holland, Scotland, England and Germany.
After he returned home, he became part of the 52/20 Club — which meant that the U.S. government gave servicemen $20 per week for 52 weeks.
With jobs difficult to come by, Lupinacci took a position in a company that packed frozen fish, before his uncle offered him a job in a construction company, where he worked his way up to foreman and then supervisor. Lupinacci retired from that job after 42 years of service.
He met his wife Nancy in 1948 when she worked — along with Lupinacci’s sister Camille — in the former Chemical Bank on Canal Street in Chinatown.
They Lupinaccis would say their “I do’s” on Jan. 20, 1951 in St. Mary’s R.C. Church in Rosebank — the community where Lupinacci lives to this day — followed by a reception at The Murat Club in St. George. Lupinacci said he always tried to be the best partner to his wife, Nancy.
The Lupinaccis spent their honeymoon in Quebec, Canada, where they traveled by train. They were married for 56 years until she passed away in 2007.
In 2008, at 84 years old, Lupinacci traveled to Hong Kong to visit his godchild, Veronica, and her family. From there they took a cruise on the Yangtze River and climbed 1,000 feet on the Great Wall of China.
Then in 2013 he traveled to Europe with Veronica and her husband Eddie and their first stop was France, where they visited the first tower he liberated. They would tour Normandy Beach and went to the exact spot where Lupinacci landed during World War II. They also visited the cemetery, and with grace and dignity a ceremony was held for him while the flag was raised.
They also stopped in the village of Bayou, where the native people thanked him for serving, and went on to visit Paris, Venice, Florence and Rome.
The Lupinaccis favorite dining spot for dinner was Forlini’s in Manhattan.
Lupinacci is a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Labetti Post in Rosebank.
He bowled for many years up — until the age of 96 — at Rab’s Country Lanes in Dongan Hills.
His favorite pastimes include gardening and cooking, along with taking trips to Atlantic City where he and his wife often played the slots.
He was an active member of St. Charles Seminary when it was open.
He enjoys following new recipes, watching football and the New York Yankees.
However, his greatest accomplishment was becoming a father figure to his nephews, Bobby and Wayne, along with his many nieces and other nephews and creating precious memories with extended family and friends who’ve now grown to include their children and their children’s children.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.