02/06/2026
Filippo “Pop” Loiacono, age 89, passed away peacefully at home on January 31, 2026, in Staten Island, New York, surrounded by his loving family. After a long and full life marked by devotion, hard work, and love, Pop entered eternal rest.
Pop was born on January 22, 1937, in Bari, Italy. Growing up in Bari, he came of age during World War II and fondly recounted stories of playing among the ruins of bombed buildings and encountering American soldiers. He also loved to share memories of his mother’s amazing cooking, sneaking onto the rooftop to eat sun-dried tomatoes, and stealing small sips of the family’s homemade wine. These simple moments reflected both the hardships and the joys of his early years. From a young age, Pop understood responsibility and hard work. By the age of ten, he was already working various jobs, including regularly for a local butcher, to help support his parents and six siblings. As a young man, he proudly served in the Italian Navy as a machinist and thereafter worked as a skilled welder and craftsman on projects at the Vatican in Rome.
After completing his mandatory service in the Italian Navy, Pop continued his life of service as a merchant marine, working as a machinist. He sailed from various European ports, transporting building materials from the USSR to destinations around the world. He later immigrated briefly to Canada before settling permanently in the United States. Throughout his life, Pop worked tirelessly and generously completed numerous construction projects for people in need, including friends and family. In his early thirties, Pop permanently settled in New York, where he met his loving wife, Barbara, and built a life rooted in family, hard work, and perseverance on Staten Island. Professionally, he was a proud union worker for General Motors in Linden, New Jersey, serving as an autobody specialist and building cars and trucks for thirty-five years. He retired only upon the birth of his first grandson to care for his ailing wife.
English was Pop’s second language. Arriving in this country speaking only Italian, he patiently and earnestly learned English, a reflection of his determination and deep respect for the life he was building here. Though he mastered the language, his thick Italian accent remained a unique and cherished gem that family and friends lovingly enjoyed, always giving away his proud Italian heritage. Pop took great joy in returning to Italy with his family, proudly showing them his childhood home, introducing them to relatives, and sharing the rich culture and history of Europe that shaped him.
Pop was the man who could fix anything. Outside of work, he was a true craftsman in every sense of the word. He lovingly remodeled his Victorian home single-handedly, day by day, week by week, year by year, before later settling in Westerleigh. Pop was known for restoring ironwork and fences for historic structures, including places of worship, throughout New York City. When Pop was not at work, he was building, restoring, fixing, creating, or gardening, always with his hands and always with pride. His work ethic, skill, and determination were unmatched.
He was predeceased by his beloved wife, Barbara Loiacono, with whom he shared a lifetime of love and partnership. He is survived by his devoted family, including his children, Angelo Loiacono and Elisa Loiacono; his daughter-in-law, Jeannette Poyerd-Loiacono; and his cherished grandchildren, Francis Pasqua, Phillip Pasqua, Velio Pasqua, and Sabien Loiacono.
Pop was also predeceased by his parents, Angelo Loiacono and Maria “Nonna” Loiacono; his siblings, Elisa Loiacono, Nicola Loiacono, Anna Loiacono, and Frank Loiacono; and his sister-in-law, Toni Ann Loiacono. He is survived by his brother, Antonio Loiacono, and sister-in-law, Angela Loiacono, of New Jersey; his sister, Gina Di Venere; and his brother-in-law, Frank Di Venere, of Italy. Pop is also survived by his nephews, Giuseppe Di Venere, Angelo Di Venere, and Anthony Loiacono, and by his nieces, Maria Loiacono, Grace Loiacono, and Laura Loiacono.
Pop especially loved and lived for his four grandsons, who were the pride and joy of his life. Even at the age of eighty, when his youngest grandchild was born, he could be found in his yard building a swing set by hand, a testament to the fact that there was truly nothing he could not do. His legacy will live on through them. Above all, Pop was known for his kindness, generosity, quiet strength, and unwavering devotion to his family. He cherished his roles as husband, father, and grandfather, and he leaves behind a legacy of love, resilience, and craftsmanship that will endure through those he taught and inspired.
The wake will be held on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at Matthew Funeral Home, located at 2508 Victory Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10314, from 2:00-4:00 PM and 7:00-9:00 PM.
Pop was deeply loved and will be profoundly missed. His hands built so much in this world, but his greatest creation was the family he leaves behind.
