La Famiglia Verderajme sentitamente ringrazia tutti coloro che, anche da lontano, sono stati vicini nel loro dolore per la scomparsa dell’amato Vincenzo. I Funerali si sono svolti mercoledì 2o Ottobre a Greenwood nella Chiesa del Cuore immacolato di Maria.
He passed away unexpectedly Sunday, Oct. 10, 2021, at Greenwood Leflore Hospital. He was 84.
Vincenzo, known to many as Enzo or Johnny, was born one minute after midnight on July 18, 1937, in Cefalú, Italy. He was only 6 years old when World War II came along and disrupted his childhood, creating a hardship for many years for him and his family. The memories of war were still with him until his death, along with his country and his family on his mind. He said war was never good for anyone and peace was always the way to go.
When his mother passed away at the age of 42, Vincenzo decided to go to America along with his younger brother, Albert, who was 15. Traveling on the Saturnia ship, they arrived in America on April 16, 1955, greeted by the Statue of Liberty.
Vincenzo’s mother had some relatives in America, and Vincenzo joined them in the Mississippi Delta. He learned English at the old library in Greenwood with some Greek immigrants.
He went to work for his relatives, the Cascio family, who owned a wholesale tobacco and candy company in Greenville and later New Deal Tobacco and Candy in Greenwood.
In February 1959, he met his future wife, Joyce Ann Irwin, in a Greek restaurant on East Market Street in Greenwood. They married in Greenwood on May 30, 1959.
After marriage, Vincenzo continued to work for New Deal in Greenwood, then later for a bookbinding company in Chicago.
After the couple returned to Greenwood, Vincenzo bought his own small grocery store, Jiffy Food Store. He then went to work for Swift & Company to learn meat-cutting skills. With those skills, he moved on to work for several grocers: Jitney-Jungle, Big Star, Jewel-Osco, Omani Grocery and County Market for many years.
After he retired, he never really wanted to stop with his cutting skills. Whenever he had something at home that needed to be cut, he was always around to cut it.
During his spare time, he took care of his fig trees and made pear preserves. Also he enjoyed talking to his family and friends very far away, sharing pictures of his country and cooking Italian dishes with his wife.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Giuseppe and Rosaria Verderajme; his baby sister, Maria; another sister, Giuseppina Delogu; and two brothers, Salvatore and Giovanni Verderajme.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Joyce Ann Irwin Verderajme; four children, Victor Joe Verderajme of Greenwood, Sarah Lisa Lee of Cordova, Tennessee, John Marco Verderajme (Danielle) of Michie, Tennessee, and Anna Lucia Frattini (Fabio) of Rome, Italy; two brothers, Albert Verderajme of Greenwood and Pietro Verderajme of Cefalú; three sisters, Sara Martucci and Maria Teresa Pernice (Gerlando), both of Rome, and Rosa Linda Pernice (Feruccio) of Cefalú; four grandchildren, John Stevens of Nashville, Illinois, Niki Lewis of Cordova, Joseph Loudenback of Greenwood and Loretta Maier of Moundsville, West Virginia; four great-granddaughters; and many nieces, nephews and cousins in America and Italy.
Pallbearers will be Josh Stevens, Charlie Wright, Bill Lindsey, Joseph Loudenback, Roy Smith and Derrick Simpson. Honorary pallbearers will be Gayton Cascio, Nick Joseph, Joe Best and employees of Greenwood Market Place.
A family viewing will be from 9 to 10 a.m. Wednesday at the church, followed by a public viewing from 10 a.m. until service time.
After the service, there will be a reception at the Parish Center behind the church.
Burial will be held at a later date in Vincenzo’s hometown of Cefalu, Italy. Wilson and Knight Funeral Home is charge.
