Salvatore “Sammy” Dioguardi

Salvatore “Sammy” Dioguardi

Sammy, a man who embraced life to the fullest and whose humor, positive spirit and charming presence left lasting impressions on everyone he met, passed away peacefully at the age of 86.

Sammy was born in Caccamo, Sicily in 1939 and came to America in 1954 at the age of 15. He joined the United States Army in 1958 and was honorably discharged in 1964. He was a proud member of the VFW Post 5426 and the Knights of Columbus.

In 1961, he met his beautiful and amazing wife, Ada DiMichele at the Chez Vous skating rink in Upper Darby, PA. They married in April 1963 and shared 51 extraordinary years together before her passing in January 2014.

Sammy was a mechanic by trade and owned The Auto Clinic in Philadelphia with his partner Pete Tulli for over 3 decades. He was fondly known as “Sammy the Mechanic.”

Sammy loved hunting, fishing, tending to his garden, especially his fig trees and Cucuzza (Italian squash plants). Most of all, he enjoyed his weekly card games with his lifelong friends at the Cherry Hill and Soccer clubs in Philadelphia, making homemade wine, spending time with his family telling his life stories and enjoying Ada’s world class home cooked meals.

Sammy is survived by his daughters Concetta Lewis and Rose D’Ippolito (Lewis), his son, Salvatore Michael Dioguardi, his adoring grandchildren, Alexandra Lewis Perry, Lewis D’Ippolito (Erin) and Julia D’Ippolito (Liam), Elana Dioguardi and Carissa Dioguardi, his great grandchildren, Emily Shultz and Brooklyn Flemings, his loving brother, Pasquale Dioguardi (Monica), and dear sisters Josephine Dioguardi and Theresa Giuliano (Ron), his cousin Angelo Dioguardi (Julie) and his many nieces and nephews.

Sammy is predeceased by his beloved wife Ada Dioguardi (nee DiMichele), sister, Mary Aglialoro, brothers, Angelo Dioguardi, Joseph Dioguardi, John Dioguardi, and his parents, Sebastiano and Concetta Dioguardi.

To all that knew him, Sammy was a caring, loving, funny, loyal man whose motto was “don’t stress” and never went a day without a smile.

Relatives and friends are invited to his Viewing on November 14, 2025, from 9:30 AM – 10:15 AM followed by his Funeral Mass at 10:30 AM ALL IN CHURCH at St. Anastasia Church, 3301 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square, PA 19073. Interment S.S. Peter & Paul Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association www.heart.org

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