Vito A. Canuso Jr.

After celebrating a very special 90th birthday with his children and friends, and after fighting a valiant battle with advanced dementia, Vito passed away peacefully and gracefully just a few weeks later. Vito’s kindness, tenacity, sense of humor, and generosity will live on through the lives and deeds of his family and close friends.

Vito never met a stranger. He had a special capacity to make friends everywhere he went. He was quick with a joke, and always smiled… and in turn, he put smiles on the faces of everyone he encountered.

Vito A. Canuso, Jr. was born in Philadelphia on November 19, 1935, the second of four children of Vito A. Canuso, Sr. and Helen Acchione. He was a hard worker from an early age, growing up in a multi-generation construction family. After graduating from LaSalle University, in Philadelphia, and working years on construction sites for his father and grandfather, Vito and his brother Tony started what was once a humble construction company – Neshaminy Constructors, Inc. – and grew it become one of the prominent heavy-and-highway construction companies in the Philadelphia region.

In February of 1958, he married the love of his life, Patricia “Pat” Greenwald. He and Pat made a beautiful pair… and were inseparable from the start. They lived in the Philadelphia area for 60 years before settling permanently in West Palm Beach, Florida in 2019. Married sixty-six years, they built a beautiful and abounding life together, sharing their love and joy with their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren – and their many friends. And in Pat’s later years, as she needed the aid of walkers and wheelchairs, Vito supported Pat with unyielding assistance, encouragement, and love… resulting in a lifetime of independence and enjoyment.

Vito loved to play golf and enjoyed ritual Saturday morning rounds with his friends for many years. He also loved to play tennis and often played with his brother Tony at Pier 30 in Philadelphia, and in clubs in both his Traditions and Baywinds communities. Vito and Pat also loved boating. Their first boat, the “For Now,” showed them that they were meant for the open sea. They eventually sailed up and down the East Coast on their larger “La Bonne Vie” with family and the many close friends they met at Harrah’s Marina in Atlantic City. When he and Pat bought a second home in West Palm Beach as snowbirds in the 90’s, he continued playing golf and tennis to take advantage of the warmer weather in Florida during the Philadelphia winters. The boat came with them, of course.

When they moved to Florida permanently, Vito spent time volunteering for the Knights of Columbus, playing billiards with his buddies, doing jigsaw puzzles and painting (by numbers), all of which he loved with a passion. In addition, Vito sang regularly with the choir at his church, Our Lady Queen of Apostles, in Royal Palm Beach. Throughout his life, Vito loved to sing at church, but being part of the church choir was particularly special for him. His other passion was his love of all sports, particularly Philadelphia’s pro teams and Villanova basketball. You would often see Vito with his red Phillies hat on, even at black-tie affairs like his son’s wedding. While Vito had the good fortune to enjoy many successes in life, to travel abroad, to meet Pope John Paul II and Presidents Ford and Reagan, he was steadfastly humble, honest, loving, and caring.

Since Patricia’s passing in March of 2024, Vito has been surrounded by the love and joy of his doting children, all of whom survive him: Vito A. Canuso III (and his wife Reneé), Patricia Canuso Butler (and her husband Michael), Robert Canuso (and his wife Casey), Deborah Canuso Chase (and her husband Johnny Utz), Gabriel A. Canuso (and his wife Melinda), and Dominic C. Canuso (and his fiancée Amy Clippinger).

Vito is also survived by his siblings, Tony Canuso, John Canuso (and his wife Joan), and Mary Canuso Ziccardi (and her husband Tony), as wells as numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

The funeral mass for Vito will be held at Our Lady Queen of the Apostles (100 Crestwood Blvd S, Royal Palm Beach) on Monday, December 29th at 11:30 AM.

In lieu of flowers, donations to either of Vito’s favorite charities below would certainly be welcome:

Children’s Crisis Treatment Center

The Friendly Center

The AJ Foundation

The Canuso Foundation