DOMENICO "DOMINIC" MADONIA

DOMENICO MADONIA age 63. Beloved son of Rosa and the late Joseph. Loving brother of Nancy Reynolds (Mike) and treasured uncle of Patricia (Zaid), Joseph (Sandi) and Michelle. Great uncle of Vincent, Elena and James. Dear cousin of Maria and numerous relatives in Sicily.

Dominic Madonia was born May 13, 1958 in Collesano, Sicily. He emigrated to the United States in 1960  with his father Joseph, mother Rosa, and sister Nancy (who was waiting a few more months to be born).  He moved into an Italian-American neighborhood on Cleveland’s west side, where he stayed for his  entire life. 

As a young man, Dom attended Walton School, Thomas Jefferson Junior High, then Cleveland Lincoln  West High School. While there, he showed a talent for mechanical systems, which led him to Cuyahoga  Community College, where he completed his Associate degree. Upon graduation, Dom started working at D&S Vending as a refrigeration technician, a job he proudly held for 42 years. 

Dominic enjoyed simple pleasures with his hobbies and pastimes. An avid sport fisherman, he could  often be found at one of the area’s great fishing holes, including Lake Erie. When Dom wanted to keep  the “fishing” closer to home, you only need view one of the many aquariums he kept at the house. He  was also passionate about gardening, so much that it consumed almost his entire back yard. Dom was a  master at growing a lot of vegetables in a small space – a skill he lent to several area churches for their  community gardens. Naturally, he was huge Browns fan, whether sitting near the famed “Dawg Pound”  or watching/listening to the games, as he was to the very end. 

Even with all the activities in his life, Dominic found time to volunteer for several honorable causes. He  was the Ohio Brigadier General and a Supreme Advisory Board member of the Knights of St. John, an  organization that serves the church and local community in the Roman Catholic tradition. Dom was also  a member of the Order of Alhambra, assisting the intellectually disabled or handicapped, Abba Koval Caravan and the North Italian Club.  Finally, when  he had time to relax, he found a home with the North Italian Club.  

Dom had a unique vision for his life and never compromised his beliefs. He is once again reunited with  his father, Joseph, and will be dearly missed by his other family members: mother Rosa, sister Nancy  (Mike) Reynolds, along with nieces and nephews; Patricia (Zaid), Joseph (Sandi), and Michelle; as well as  great-nieces and nephews; Vincent, Elena, and James; other family members in Sicily and elsewhere in  the world, many friends, fellow workers at D&S Vending and all those whose lives he touched.

He never missed sending a Birthday or Christmas card, always a funny one and was always happy & joking around to lighten the mood. He loved to garden and even more so, loved spending time with his family. 

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at , Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church (West), Tuesday December 28, 2021, at 10:00 AM. Entombment Holy Cross Cemetery. Friends received (WITH MASKS AND SOCIAL DISTANCING) Monday 4 – 8 PM at the A. RIPEPI AND SONS FUNERAL HOME, 3202 FULTON ROAD, CLEVELAND, OHO.

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