Gioacchino “Gino” Sileci

Gioacchino “Gino” Sileci

Marion

Gioacchino “Gino” Sileci, 93, of Marion, Iowa, passed away on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He was formerly of Dubuque, Iowa, from 1974 to 2008 and prior to that he resided in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Visitation for Gino will be held from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 13, at the Reiff funeral Home in Cascade, Iowa.

Mass of Christian burial for Gino will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 13, at St. Martin’s Catholic Church in Cascade, Iowa, with the Rev. Mark Osterhaus presiding. Burial will be held in Calvary Cemetery in Cascade, Iowa.

Gino was born Jan. 29, 1929, in Palermo, Sicily, Italy, son of Giuseppe and Vincenza (Lucchese) Sileci. On Nov. 24, 1962, he was united in marriage to Josephine Cirino. She preceded him in death on April 9, 2022.

He was employed at the former Trausch Baking Company in Dubuque, Iowa. He loved to bake and cook, garden and was known for his homemade tomatoe sauce and bread. He was a very giving and selfless person, he treated his grandchildren as if they were his own. He enjoyed attending all of his grandchildren’s events and spending time with family. Gino also enjoyed watching soccer, especially, the Italian teams.

Gino was a member of St. Joseph’s Parish in Marion, Iowa.

He is survived by his daughter, Vincenza Anna (Steve) McElmeel; two grandchildren, Gabriel Lynn McElmeel and Gianna Josephina McElmeel; one sister; two brothers-in-law, Francesco “Frank” Cirino of Seymour, Conn., and Philip Frank Cirino of Fort Wayne, Ind.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother and several sisters; brothers and sisters-in-law, Rosa Zanca, Andrew “Andrea” Cirino, Maria Concetta Cannavo, Luigi “Lou” Cirino, Nicola Cannavo and Carmela Cirino; and three nephews, Leonardo “Lenny” Cirino, Leonardo “Lee” Cirino and Frank Cannavo.

Online condolences for Gino may be left for the family at www.reifffuneralhomeinc.com.