Silvestro (Sonny) Orfe passed away as he wished peacefully at home with his loving family wife Carol of 65 years and daughter Cindy by his side on October 13, 2022. Sonny was born April 11, 1931 in his home on Walnut Street to Elmira (Hunt) of Winooski and Giovanni Orfe of Rome, Italy. He attended Burlington Schools and graduated from Champlain College majoring in business.
Sonny served his country proudly. He was stationed in Germany during the Korean War. He was a dedicated member of the American Legion Post 0100 for 70 years and a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 15047. Sonny left his home for the last time, with Taps playing and draped in the American flag wearing his veterans cap.
After his time in the service, Sonny returned to Burlington where he met his wife Carol. They were married at Christ The King Church. They were blessed with their only child, a daughter Cindy. The bond between father and daughter is strong. Saturday mornings started with breakfast at Howard Johnsons followed by a day of activities.
At the age of 34, he owned and operated Green Mountain Construction Company in Burlington.
Later he would open and operate Orfe's U-Save, a small grocery store and gas station in Winooski.
As a boy Sonny was athletic. He was a first string football player all four years at Burlington High. He was also a powerful swimmer and enjoyed swimming from North Beach to the breakwater and back.
As a young man Sonny enjoyed weekend trips to the Blue Bonnet Racetrack in Montreal, Canada with his family followed by a smoked meat sandwich at Schwartz Deli. This was just one of many trips. A family favorite was to his fathers' homeland Rome, Italy. Sonny also enjoyed weekly trips to Perkins Pier to meet up with friends to play cards or cribbage.
Winter could be hard for Sonny. He would take a couple months and travel south to Myrtle Beach. Here he met a young man, Jim Hickey who would become a life-long friend. It was a comfort to his family that he had a companion to look after him. When Sonny was no longer able to travel, Jim would come to visit and would call often to check in on his old friend.
In his last few years, Sonny rekindled his love for backgammon. He and his daughter would play for hours. He was a good strategist, but he would occasionally cheat! He also enjoyed playing boardgames with special neighbors Tom, Laurie, Ellen and Ben. We all had lots of fun and laughter.
Sonny lived a long and prosperous life despite obstacles along the way. When he was told he couldn't or wouldn’t be able to accomplish things in life it only made Sonny more determined.
Telling Sonny he had limitations was not acceptable to him. His strong Italian roots gave him the courage to fight. Some people saw a crusty exterior, but under that exterior was a very good and warm heart. Sonny had high expectations for himself and expected nothing less from others. This is probably why he lived to the ripe old age of 91.
Sonny is survived by his devoted wife of 65 years, Carol (Hall) and his loving daughter Cindy Orfe. He also leaves sisters-in-law Beverly Bailey and Sue Orfe, nephews and nieces Kimberlee (James) Durak, their son Landon (Allison) and their son Bailey Finn, Patrick McCarty (Cynthia) children Daniel (Cathy) and their son Callum, William and Ethan McCarty, Gary Thomas (Sarah) their daughter Madeline, Linda Thomas and daughter, Tom, Tobias, Mary and Laurie Orfe and their families. He also leaves kind and considerate friends and neighbors who helped Sonny enjoy his final years by stopping by to chat, baking goodies or lending a helping hand when needed. He loved all the children who helped make his 90th birthday special. He is predeceased by his parents, a brother Buster Orfe, sisters Katherine Orfe and Ruth Thomas, nephews Duane Thomas and Michael Orfe and a niece Donna Sprague.
Carol and Cindy would like to thank all his doctors and nurses at the Medical Center who attended his needs throughout the years. A special thanks to his Home-Based Care Team from the VA. Specially Dr. Kathryn Gonzalez, who he referred to as "the queen", his nurse Dawn Judd and physical therapist Shelly Chiradelli (Emmett). An extended thank you to UVM Home Hospice who kept Sonny comfortable in his final weeks.
Sonny enjoyed good food and wine. There was always a pot of homemade pasta and sauce on the stove and a bottle of wine on the table. In his final months he had very little appetite, but he never refused a root beer float. Please have a float in his memory and remember to be kind to each other in these troubled times you will be missed.
Visiting hours will be held on Friday, October 28, 2022 from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. at A W Rich Funeral Home – Essex Chapel. A Memorial service will be held in the Spring. Please visit awrfh.com to share your memories and condolences.