STAFF SPOTLIGHT: Phil Perotto, Funeral Director, A Fixture in Funeral Care

For all of you out there that have entrusted your loved ones to the care of Bartolomeo & Perotto for years and years, you can’t help but know who Phil Perotto is, he is a fixture here, and has been a fixture in this funeral home for many years, 51 years to be exact. Though Phil is technically “retired,” it’s a rare occasion to not see his face gracing the halls of the funeral home on any given day. Okay, so maybe he takes the weekends off now, or simply leaves when he chooses to do as he wishes, he’s certainly earned that right. And he claims “it’s vital for the longevity of his marriage,” to his lovely wife Dorothy to get out of the house and keep busy. Perhaps you can relate to this! When he is here, we appreciate his wisdom, positive nature, the occasional joke and most importantly, his willingness to drop everything to run to Staples, Home Depot or an assortment of stops to make sure we have everything we need down to paperclips.

It may seem very straight forward what Phil’s rationale for becoming a funeral director was… “It’s in the family, that’s what you do!” No one commits to being a funeral director until they understand that it is a way of life, not… just a job. Giving up weekends and holidays, being away from your family is just that, a commitment. However, it’s a noble commitment to care for families in need during a troubling and difficult time. This being said, it can’t be denied that the exposure to the business during his formative years had some influence.

When Phil was around 11 he began doing all the tasks at the funeral home that his Uncle George & Aunt Frances Bartolomeo needed help with. While they ran the business, he pitched in and would do a plethora of minor jobs around the funeral home for a $1.00 an hour. Washing the cars, cleaning the funeral home, along with any other need that came up kept him exposed to the funeral care business. He learned much from his Uncle & Aunt during this time and eventually he and his cousin Peter Giullari took on the business.

Phil spent his whole life in the Rochester area, growing up on the west side. After he graduated from high school he joined the Air Force and became an aircraft mechanic. Part of his duty landed him in Japan for 2 years. He returned home from Japan and while on leave he was introduced by a friend to the love of his life, Dorothy Entress. Though he had to return to his military commitment, they didn’t forget each other and began dating on his next leave. Needless to say, 50+ years of marriage later, they stuck with each other. Their sons Michael and David now run the funeral home. And here’s a surprise, they have a daughter too! Roseanne lives and works in the California wine industry and now Phil & Dorothy enjoy regular visits to the west coast.

So, you ask, what does Phil do outside of the funeral home? He’s had many passions; he was an avid bowler who bowled in many tournaments, skeet shooting with family and friends has been a favorite pastime of his, traveling, hunting, cooking on the grill and making weekend pancakes for family. His grandsons, Michael & Jon have kept him on the lacrosse sidelines for years as they’ve played at many levels throughout their lives. Phil was their designated sports photographer.

As Phil watches his sons follow in his professional footsteps, he is very proud of what they have made of the family business. He feels strongly that Uncle George & Aunt Frances Bartolomeo would have approved. Phil continues to be passionate about helping families during the stressful and emotional moments of losing someone you love. You will still see him, preparing for calling hours, making things “just right” or greeting people with a smile as they arrive in the funeral home, always at the ready to fill in and help where needed. Phil’s humility would prevent him from boasting, but most would agree that he lent a hand in laying vital groundwork for what exists today with Bartolomeo & Perotto Funeral Home. Much of that is not bricks and mortar, but an attitude for the best and the most sensitive service we can provide for our families.

RELATED LINKS:

Skeet Shooting      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skeet_shooting

Learn more about our staff      http://bartolomeo.com/20/Our-Staff.html