Deceased January 16, 2020
View alumni profile (log in required)
Read obituary
In Memory
Steve Perniciaro of Ware, Mass., died on Jan. 16, 2020, after battling prostate cancer. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Shirleen; son Giuseppe; daughter-in-law Alissa; and two grandsons. Steve got a low draft number in the fall of 1971. He subsequently joined ROTC and then spent three years in Germany as an artillery officer and several years in the Army Reserves back in the States. Steve earned his professional engineer designation and worked for many years in the firearms industry. He was an accomplished pianist, achieved a second-degree black belt in karate and was an avid outdoorsman.
Steve, Blake Wilson ’75 and I were roommates in Pratt 108 freshman year. Steve, from Chester, Vt., was the quiet one. Blake recalls that he worked regular hours at a local gas station freshman year. We didn’t see much of Steve since he was very busy working and studying. In the spring of our sophomore year, Steve got married to his high school sweetheart, Shirleen Harrington, in Vermont. Many of his Pratt dormitory friends attended the ceremony. One of the wedding gifts was a set of Amherst College chinaware in use at the time. Steve was a good man, served his country and worked hard at everything he did all his life. May he now rest in peace.
Bruce D. Tahsler ’75