Angelo Arrigo
Obituary Reports the death of an individual, providing an account of the person’s life including their achievements, any controversies in which they were involved, and reminiscences by people who knew them.
Angelo Vincent Arrigo was born to Salvatore and Pauline Arrigo on June 14, 1935, in New York City, and passed away peacefully on Nov. 2.
Angelo’s parents immigrated to the United States from Sicily, making Angelo a first-generation American along with his younger brother, Paul Arrigo, who passed away several years ago.
Angelo grew up in midtown east in the Beekman neighborhood of New York City near the United Nations. His mother was a seamstress and his father a skilled tailor. Angelo spent much of his boyhood at his father’s shop, often traveling with him to hand-deliver custom suits to Henry Kissinger.
As a young teen, Angelo had a deep love for music and the arts, and when all of his friends were buying their first car, Angelo bought his first piano. Weekends, holidays and summer vacations were spent with friends and cousins at the family bungalow in Fort Montgomery in upstate New York.
He graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Queens College and pursued his passion for fine arts at the School of Visual Arts. His career launched in advertising, working on Broadway theater productions, which is when he met his wife, Linda Ann DeGiglio, at the Theatre Bar. He courted Linda by taking her to Broadway shows, and within a year they married on Aug. 24, 1963.
Angelo went on to become senior creative director at RCA Records in charge of the art department and was recognized for his work in creating the label’s tagline “RCA, where artists become legends.” He worked on album covers for many well-known artists such as David Bowie, Hall & Oates, Dolly Parton and Jefferson Starship, to name several.
Angelo and Linda had three children, Christopher, Laura and Gina, and bought their first home together in 1969 in Valhalla. He commuted to New York City for work for 31 years, and on weekends enjoyed boating with his family on Long Island Sound and taking them to the flying field to showcase his latest RC airplane. He eventually became a licensed pilot and named his boat “SEA SOARING.” (He loved to play on words.)
He also loved playing piano and hosting lavish parties for family and friends in his backyard that he perfectly framed with the Kensico Dam in the backdrop. His artistic vision was endless and as was his attention to aesthetics.
Angelo and Linda retired to Naples, Fla. where he took up cooking, playing tennis and swimming; however, his love for New York City never waned. Their days were filled with music and entertaining until Linda passed away in October 2018. Angelo was a true native New Yorker with a love of country that was undeniable throughout his life.
Angelo is preceded in death by his wife, Linda Arrigo; his parents, Pauline and Salvatore Arrigo; and by his brother, Paul Arrigo. He is survived by his children, Christopher Arrigo, Laura Nicholson and Gina Casella, and grandchildren Ryan Nicholson, Joseph Nicholson, Alexander Casella and Jordan Casella.
A memorial service was held at Beecher Funeral Home in Pleasantville on Nov. 9. A Mass at the Chapel at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne was held on Nov. 10.
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