Italian immigrant, beloved baker, shares honor with wife

2023

Vincenzo DiPaolo emigrated to the United States in 1956 along with his mother, father, three brothers and sister, from Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy where he had apprenticed as a baker at DeCecco Pastificio E Bakery.

He worked at local bakeries for the next 2 ½ years until at the age of 20 when he opened the first DiPaolo Bakery on Sixth Avenue in Newark.

In 1980, he opened a small bakery on Bloomfield Avenue in Verona. By that time, he had established himself and developed a following, so it wasn’t surprising that lines would form down the street and around the block.

So in 1983 to accommodate the volume of customers, he built a traditional Italian bakery in the heart of Verona to the delight of the patrons from all over.

Being a kind man with a good heart, it wasn’t surprising that he would donate his delicious bakery items to local soup kitchens, churches and senior centers. Children from the town would go to his bakery after school every day to get the free snacks that Vincenzo would have waiting for them.

Additionally, at that time, the Essex County Hospital was located in Verona not too far from the bakery so they were able to walk to get their free snacks as well.

After 52 years as a baker and running his business, Vincenzo retired. He and Maria DiPaolo have been married for more than 42 years working side by side. They are active members of the Federation of Italian American Societies of New Jersey.

To the delight of his family and friends Vincenzo enjoys making his own wine and delicious food at any opportunity. An annual celebration is held every December 13 at their home in Essex Fells, to honor Vincenzo’s mother Lucia who was named for St. Lucy.

After a blessing of the wine by Father Brian Page, the festivities are enjoyed by many friends with food, wine and dancing. Vincenzo also enjoys watching Italian soccer games on RAI and all American sports.

He enjoys his life to the fullest whether it is zipping around in his Fiat Spider or Vespa, playing on his bocce court, making pizza in his brick oven, planting his yearly grapes, or single handedly building an extraordinary cantina during the COVID pandemic.

Vincenzo DIpaolo is the embodiment of a true Italian.