Lorenzo Squarci

March 13, 1933 ~ November 15, 2024

Newburgh, NY

We are saddened to announce the passing of our beloved Lorenzo Squarci, known by many as Larry, at the age of 91 years old. He passed after a relatively short but aggressive bout with cancer, and fortunately faced very little pain or discomfort in his final months with us. He passed at the Kaplan Family Hospice Residence in Newburgh, NY on Friday November 15, 2024. We will never forget his pride, talent, creativity, ingenuity, strength, love, and dedication to family. Nor will we forget his generosity and compassion that touched and helped so many.

Lorenzo was born March 13, 1933 to Eliseo and Assunta Squarci in Elba, Italy. From an early age, Larry dreamed of the day he would leave Italy in search of a better tomorrow where he could secure a job, start a family, become successful, and build a better life. Growing up in war-torn Europe during and after World War II, Larry worked his father's farm for no pay, simply to have enough food to survive. He watched the ships go by as he worked the fields telling himself that one day he would leave his homeland.

At the age of 17, Larry got his first job as a merchant marine with SITMAR. He worked aboard the Castel Felice, a passenger cruiseliner that was responsible for transporting 2,000 travelers and immigrants each trip from Italy, Germany, and Holland to Quebec, Canada; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Melbourne, Australia; and New York, USA. It was aboard the Castel Felice that Lorenzo Squarci would find his entry to America. In 1954, at the age of 21, Larry abandoned ship while docked in New York. The path to his American dream was beginning to unfold.

In 1955, Larry met Gloria Stefani at a dance hall in Brooklyn. On January 28, 1956 they were married. Thanks to the favorable ruling of a New York judge, Larry was permitted to stay in the United States after a brush with the immigration authorities. Now a married man with a path to citizenship, Larry would blaze a trail all his own, always maintaining his promise and emotional plea to the judge that if he let him stay in America, "America will be very proud of people like me."

In 1958, Gloria got Larry a job with G&D in Brooklyn that would prove to be more important than they could ever imagine. G&D was an artificial Christmas tree factory that Gloria had been working at, and Larry quickly became fascinated with the manufacturing process. He became convinced that he could build and design his own machines based on the existing designs. This would begin a journey that would forever change his and his family's lives. Larry would become an inventor, engineer, machinist, and entrepreneur that would revolutionize the artificial Christmas tree industry and the manufacturing process.

With his friend Joe Bella, Larry started his own artificial Christmas tree business in Brooklyn called B&S Novelty, named after Bella and Squarci in 1960. It was at this time Larry met Si Spiegel to repair his machinery, a man that would later work with Larry to dominate the artificial Christmas tree world. Larry and Joe sold their business in 1963, and Larry was hired by the new owners that tasked him with living in Paramount, California. He moved to California with his family and worked there for five years until Si Spiegel came to Larry with a job offer. Si asked Larry to work with him at American Tree and Wreath back in New York, making him an offer he couldn't refuse.

In 1968, Larry returned to New York with his family to join American Tree and Wreath. Larry continued to innovate new machinery and creative designs for new Christmas products. Years later, Si Spiegel approached Larry about starting their own Christmas business together. Larry had waited years for this opportunity to present itself. In 1982, Si Spiegel and Larry Squarci created Hudson Valley Tree Inc. out of Newburgh, New York. At one point, they were the largest manufacturers of artificial Christmas trees in the world. The company expanded to two factories, Newburgh and Evansville, Indiana. At its height, the company employed over 1,200 people across the two locations. Si and Larry sold the company in 1992 to NOMA, but maintained ownership of the factory property in Newburgh.

Years later, Larry would buy Si's share of the property from him, and after NOMA closed Hudson Valley Tree permanently, Larry went back into business under the name Christmas In America in 1997. Operating on the same grounds as his wildly successful former business, Larry produced Christmas trees once more, but this time on a much smaller scale, and as the sole owner. He would own and operate Christmas in America, with the help of his daughters Lorraine and Patti, until finally closing its doors in 2016.

Larry took great pride in his work and his businesses. He strived to be the best at what he did and made sure he always took care of his family. Larry used his financial success to help others and gave a great deal to those close to him including those that worked for him. He provided hundreds of jobs over a period of decades and helped bolster the local Newburgh economy. He was more proud that he was able to provide and help others than his own success. We will always remember his dedication to family.

In his free time, when he wasn't obsessing over his love of his work, Larry enjoyed fishing, boating, traveling to his beach house in Florida, playing the accordion, and spending time with his family.

Larry is survived by his wife, Gloria; his daughter, Patti (James); grandchildren, Christopher (Cristina) and Alexander (Grace); great-grandchildren, Brayden and Bryce; brother, Silvano (Gemma); nephews, Robert and Anthony; nieces, Sandra (Robert) and Daniella (Patrick); and more.

Larry was preceded in death by his son, Steven and daughter, Lorraine.

Visitation will be held from 4-7 pm on Monday, November 18 at Brooks Funeral Home, 481 Gidney Ave., Newburgh. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 am on Tuesday, November 19 at Sacred Heart Church, Newburgh, with entombment following in Cedar Hill Mausoleum, Newburgh.