Mario Bonofiglio, beloved husband, father, and grandfather passed away at Brookside Care Center on Monday, January 21, 2019 at the age of 85.

He was born in Kenosha on April 24, 1933 to Thomas and Antonietta (Costanzo) Bonofiglio. Mario was a gifted and accomplished athlete, earning the highest honors in just about every sport he played, and he played just about every sport!

As an athlete, Mario played quarterback for Kenosha Bradford, the Wisconsin Badgers, and finally the Miami Hurricanes.  While in high school he earned a total of ten varsity letters in three years in four different sports. He garnered All-America Honorable Mention honors as a quarterback while at Miami where he also earned a bachelor’s degree in Education.

After college, he served in the US Army Medical Services Corps until his Honorable Discharge as a Second Lieutenant in November of 1959.

On March 2, 1957 he married Dina Martino at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of Pompeii Catholic Church, where they were both lifelong members.

Mario’s greatest joy was his family.  He was a caring and generous father and grandfather with a big heart.  He and his wife Dina drove thousands of miles over the years to support their children and grandchildren in all their activities.  Prior to his retirement in 1993, Mario’s main work was in auto sales.  He was also a manager and co-owner of The Pub and Grub. He was an avid supporter of high school athletics, especially St. Joseph’s, and mentored many kids in sports and life skills.

He was the coach, manager, and pitcher for Tirabassi’s softball team for decades, finally hanging up his mitt at age 51.  A highlight for him was leading the team to a World Championship in 1962. He was inducted into the USSSA, ASA and, most importantly, Kenosha Softball Halls of Fame.  He was a city handball champion and won several golf championships at both the local and state levels and continued to golf into his eighties.

Mario created a wonderful legacy in the city of Kenosha where he is survived by his beloved wife, Dina; his daughters, Tina Bonofiglio of Kenosha, Leah (Curtis) Witynski of Madison and Gail Bonofiglio of Franklin, his grandsons, Max and Grant Witynski; his brothers, Vince (Karen) and Tom (Carol), and his sisters-in law, Mary Bonofiglio, Gina Missurelli, Nina (Robert) Aceto, and Rita (Robert) Ginocchio.  He also touched the lives of many nephews, nieces, and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Tony Bonofiglio; a sister, Maria Bonofiglio , brother-in-law, Frank Missurelli and his in-laws, Louis and Adelma Martino.

A heartfelt thank you to the staff at Brookside Care Center, not only for their hard work but also the compassion extended to Mario and his family.

Service Info

A Memorial Service honoring Mario’s life will be held on Saturday, February 2, 2019 at 12:00 p.m. at the Piasecki-Althaus Funeral Home, 3720 39th Avenue, Kenosha, WI. Private inurnment will take place in St. George Cemetery.