First Woman Ever Named Patchogue's Italian-American Of The Year

PATCHOGUE, NY — Grace Rizzi-Gallipoli, 87, is the first woman ever to be named Patchogue's 2019 Italian-American of the Year.

A dinner and reception in Rizzi-Gallipoli's honor is set for tonight at 6 p.m. at the Locale Gastro Bar and Pizzette on West Main Street in Patchogue. Tickets are $25 and are available both online and at the door.

Rizzi-Gallipoli is the first woman to receive the recognition from the Patchogue Italian Feast of Saint Liberata committee, according to the Facebook event page. She was born Feb. 13, 1932, in Montescaglioso, Italy and eventually moved to New York after marrying husband Nicola (Nick) Gallipoli in 1954.

Rizzi-Gallipoli and her husband settled on Waverly Avenue in Patchogue, where Gallipoli opened Grace Iron Works, completing his goal of opening a business in the United States and living the American dream, according to the Facebook post.

Rizzi-Gallipoli, who remains to this day a deeply religious woman, is the mother of four children and the grandmother of seven. She's been actively involved in the areas' religious community for decades, becoming a parishioner at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church. Her children today own and operate G&M Dege Inc. in Patchogue.

In 1992, Rizzi-Gallipoli's husband died. Despite her incredible sadness, she continued to be the rock of her family, according to the Facebook event page. She is also considered to be part of the original Italian-American families who immigrated to the United States in the first half of the 20th century.

Rizzi-Gallipoli is "extremely honored" to be nominated as the first female Italian-American to receive the Patchogue recognition, according to the FB page.