Salvatore Vacca of Sagaponack and New York City, who had a long career as a successful importer of Italian food products, died at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital after a short illness on March 22. He was 93.
Born in Anacapri, Italy, in 1929, Sal Vacca emigrated to the United States in 1949 and began working in the city with an importer of Italian food products. Before long, he became its top salesman. Poorly compensated, however, he left after eight years, and without him, the firm declined within five years into bankruptcy.
“In one of the biggest satisfactions of his life,” his family said, Mr. Vacca bought the firm, moved it to the Hunts Point Market, and eventually became the largest importer of Italian chestnuts in the U.S. and a leader in the market. He eventually owned five companies, also importing dried fruit and nuts. He retired, reluctantly, at the age of 85, but continued to enjoy his relationships with both colleagues and competitors, occasionally rolling up his sleeves to help his partner, Nick Pacia, during the height of the holiday season, when chestnuts are in the highest demand.
In 1971, he was married. Sal and Diane Vacca bought a house in Southampton in 1976 and moved to Sagaponack in 1991.
Although his life was centered in New York, Mr. Vacca kept close ties with his family and friends in Italy, returning yearly until the pandemic to Anacapri, where he and his wife owned a house until 2019. He was a big fan of Italian soccer, the Napoli team in particular, and loved to cook and entertain friends.
“To know Sal was to love him,” his wife wrote. “His sensitivity to each person’s needs and his limitless generosity bound him to people in all ways of life. His twinkling eyes radiated his love of life and captivated all who had the good fortune to be drawn into his orbit.”
In addition to his wife, Mr. Vacca leaves a son, Eric Vacca of Weston, Conn., a daughter, Lisa Vacca-Brown of Los Angeles, and a grandson, Alexander Familant. He also leaves a cherished nephew and niece, Giovanni Vacca and Olimpia Giardiello, who live in Naples, Italy, and a dear cousin, Raffaele Vacca of Anacapri. A brother, Lauro Vacca, died before him.
A Catholic funeral Mass is planned when Ms. Vacca returns to Italy soon to place her husband’s ashes in the family crypt.
This obituary has been updated since it was first published.
