Beloved Restaurateur John Genitti, 67, Dies

A funeral for John Genitti will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday. (Photo: Casterline Funeral Home)

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By Courtney Bledsoe

During his 67 years of life, John Genitti opened a restaurant, defied the odds after surviving a heart attack and multiple bypass surgeries at age 30, and left a lasting impression on Northville residents.

Residents are now commemorating the beloved restaurateur, who died of a heart attack on Friday.

Genitti became popular for his weekly spaghetti dinner when he opened “Genitti’s Hole in the Wall” in 1979.

“They really changed the face of Northville into a place that people wanted to come and walk around,” said longtime friend Roxanne Casterline.

Genitti’s friends and family describe him as a selfless person — a man who enjoyed success as well as giving to others.

A Detroit native, Genitti served in the Vietnam War and was awarded a Purple Heart.

A devoted husband, Genitti leaves behind his wife, Antonia Vermiglio, his three children and his three grandchildren.

A tribute service will take place today (Tuesday, Aug. 19) at 7 p.m. at Casterline Funeral Home. There will be a visitation and a funeral service for Genitti at First United Methodist Church at 10 a.m. Wednesday, with the funeral beginning at 11 a.m.

A tribute page has been set up on Facebook.