JOSEPH FICOCELLI, 89 Managed Sunshine City Pops Orchestra

YOUNGSTOWN -- Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at E. Dale Gunter Funeral Home & amp; Cremation Services, 4100 16th St. N., St. Petersburg, Fla., for former Youngstown resident, Joseph Ficocelli, 89, of 6845 39th St. N., St. Petersburg, who died Tuesday in Tandem Health Care, St. Petersburg.
Mr. Ficocelli was born Jan. 13, 1912, in Youngstown, a son of Vincent and Concetta Parente Ficocelli, moving to Florida in 1958.
A trombonist, he was a member of a prominent musical family from Youngstown. The organizer and manager of the Sunshine City Pops Orchestra in the 1970s, he played with the St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra, the Florida Philharmonic, St. Petersburg Civic Opera, and Florida Suncoast Opera Orchestras. A musician since the age of 10, he played in Youngstown with the Pascarella Band and the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra. He also was an Electrolux salesman for 44 years, retiring in 1973, and was a Catholic.
His wife, Helen, to whom he was married for 49 years, died in 1987.
He leaves a daughter, Elaine Ficocelli; and two sisters, Theresa Ficocelli and Lena Velardo, all of St. Petersburg.
Two brothers, Michael and Carmine, are deceased.
Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
3/8/01