Mike and Liz Chiaccio

It was a romance for the ages. Growing up, the handsome Mike Chiaccio shared Webster Street with a beautiful girl named Liz D’Alessandro. They walked together to Riverside High School. Returning home from WWII he’d ask for her hand in marriage. Sixty nine years later he held that same hand Saturday in the E.R. when Liz went home to the Lord. Mike followed her home on Monday. Throughout their marriage they were hardly ever apart. They even worked close to each other and shared their lunch with a side of General Hospital.
If it was going on in Riverside you can be sure that Mike was involved. He was Riverside’s Municipal Clerk, Tax Collector, Secretary for the Riverside Sewerage Authority, Custodian of School Monies and the oldest living member of the Fire Department. Mike was the first Democrat and first Italian to be elected to Township Committee. He was wounded in France in WWII and was a graduate of Wharton, Rutgers and Syracuse.
Though he was notoriously patient there were three things sure to set him off: football (he always rooted for the underdog), pinochle (an incorrect move would make blood vessels in his head pop up) and driving, where he felt that everyone should just get out of his way. He drew a crowd when he told his jokes and had stories that only he knew how to tell. The two most popular were about him picking up a fireplace in Philly and Liz leaving his wallet on top of his car.
Liz’ meatballs and sauce found her way into half of the homes in Riverside: her grandkids turned their noses up at any meatballs not cooked by Mom Mom. Her Pecan Balls had to be hidden from view or they’d be gone in minutes. To not go out on a Saturday Night was a sin to Liz; she believed in getting dolled up and hitting the town. Of course it wasn’t just on Saturdays; few have ever seen Liz without her hair and makeup perfect and she refused to wear old lady clothes. Liz and Mike could have been greeters at the Rt. 130 Diner and Shop Rite. There was no such thing as a quick trip out; Liz and Mike knew everyone. She was the matriarch of her family and swelled with pride in her family’s accomplishments and Liz made sure that everyone was taken care of. On Christmas Eve her home was the place to be and she delighted in seeing how many people you could jam into her house. Liz and Mike loved Atlantic City: Liz because it was an excuse to get dressed up and Mike saw it as an opportunity to visit his money.
Mike and Liz were blessed with three daughters, but their marriages brought Mike and Liz three sons: Darlene (the late Bill) Reppert, Carolyn (Frank) Scazzuso, and Michele (John) Shelton, 6 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren with number 7 on the way. They started off their marriage raising Liz’s brother, John Vituscka (Tee).
Come celebrate Mike (2-12-1923 – 3-9-2015) and Liz (8-25-1925 – 3-7-2015) Sunday 4-8 p.m. and Monday 9-10 a.m. at Sweeney Funeral Home, Riverside. Mass of Christian Burial Monday 10:30, Parish of the Good Shepherd, St. Peter’s Church, Riverside. Interment St. Peter’s Cemetery, Riverside. In lieu of flowers donations to the American Heart Assoc (heart.org) or National Kidney Foundation (kidney.org) will be appreciated.