Obituary: Dr. James Peter Scialabba, 74, of Guilford

Obituary courtesy of Guilford Funeral Home:

Note: Due to the COVID-19 social distancing restrictions, the Tuesday public mass for Dr. Scialabba at St. George Church has reach capacity limits.

James Peter Scialabba, born October 13 of 1945, succumbed to bladder cancer on July 8, 2020, in his home of 30 years and with his loving family close at hand. In testament to his spirit, he kept his optimism, kindness, and sense of humor throughout his lengthy illness and final days.

Jim was the first son of James Dominic and Jean Scialabba of Hamden, CT, where he spent his childhood with brothers Robert and Steven. He attended Hopkins Grammar School, the future alma mater of two of his three children, before receiving his undergraduate degree from Tufts University, his MS from Southern CT State University and, in 1972, his DMD from Tufts University Dental School of Medicine. In the summer of 1971 he married Karen Ditta, with whom he would share the rest of his life.

Jim and Karen moved to Washington, DC in 1973, where Jim did his residency in oral and maxillofacial surgery at Washington Hospital Center. In 1977, they returned to Connecticut to settle in Guilford. Working six days a week while beginning a family, Jim opened his oral surgery office in Guilford and laid the groundwork for what would become Hamden-Shoreline Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Associates, a thriving practice which would include multiple partners and offices and serve thousands of patients over four decades. He was, by all accounts but his own (too modest for that), an exemplary surgeon and business owner.

As a doctor, Jim prided himself in the care with which he treated his patients and employees. For 39 years he finished every working day the same way: by taking time out of his evening to call each patient he had seen to ask how they were doing. He treated his employees and associates with the same graciousness and attention as his patients. He had a dedicated office staff, some who stayed with him for 20 years, and meaningful professional relationships that spanned his whole career.

Chief among Jim’s values was his immediate family: his wife Karen, with whom he shared more than five decades of his life—49 in marriage—and who was, as he would often say, “the love of his life”; his three children: Matthew, Jeffrey and Lindsey, to whom he was exceptionally generous and caring his entire life, and who aspire to build lives and families in the mode of their parents; their spouses Melissa, Eni and Dave, who Jim welcomed as his children and who quickly came to love him as a parent; his granddaughter Emilia, with whom “Poppi” shared a special bond; his one-year-old grandson Everett, who brought much joy to Jim as he neared the end of life; his future grandchildren, who will know their Poppi through stories and photos only, but whose lives will have been incalculably impacted by Jim’s legacy and the values he and Karen instilled in their parents.

An avid golfer, Jim was a member of Pine Orchard Yacht and Country Club since the late ‘80s and loved weekends on the golf course with “the boys”. He appreciated fine cooking, especially Karen’s, and excelled at finding good wine at a reasonable price point. He instilled in his children the importance of education, laughter, a strong work ethic, and healthful living. Family dinners were a point of emphasis each night, which Jim often followed by watching the Red Sox and then turning to a book (he was a voracious reader). Weeklong family vacations were a bi-annual event that served up lifelong memories and exposed his children to the world, especially Italy.

Jim leaves behind many great friends, family members and associates. Had he passed in normal times, his family has no doubts that his services would be overflowing with visitors from all stages of his life. The wealth of cards, texts and calls Jim received throughout his lengthy illness attest to that.

COVID-19 GUIDELINES MUST BE FOLLOWED - SOCIAL DISTANCING AND FACE MASKS MUST BE WORN.

Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, the visitation and funeral services must be small and private. He will be laid to rest in Alderbrook Cemetery in Guilford on July 14, following a Mass at St. George Church at 11:00 a.m. Only the Mass may be attended by the public.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Jim’s name to the Guilford Foundation, PO Box 235, Guilford, CT 06437, in support of the town Jim made his home, or to the Closer to Free Fund, Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale-New Haven, PO Box 1849, New Haven, CT 06508-9979, where he was treated. His family extends a special thank you to Dr. Hal Tara and the nurses and staff at Smilow’s locations in New Haven and Guilford.