IN MEMORIAM: William J. Liggio, 70;
Vietnam Veteran; 4-Decade Truck Driver
SCHENEVUS – William John Liggio, 70, of Schenevus, a Vietnam veteran and career-long truck driver who specialized in car carriers, passed away Thursday, July 23, 2020.
Born on August 25, 1949, Bill grew up the eldest of two siblings in an Italian family in the Jackson Heights neighborhood of Queens. He was the son of the late William Robert and Raffaela (Margio) Liggio.
Bill attended Rice High School in Harlem, where he played baseball and basketball. Upon graduation in 1968, in the military tradition of his father, who fought in WWII and his grandfather, Vincenzo Margio, who fought in WWI, Bill enlisted in the Army. After training at Fort Jackson, S.C., Fort Knox, Ky. and Fort Hood, Texas, he achieved the rank of sergeant before deploying to Vietnam. After 12 months of service, Bill returned home on his birthday, Aug. 25, 1970.
Bill and Ann Marie married on Nov. 28, 1970, at our Lady of Fatima Church in Jackson Heights.
In 1971, Bill enrolled in the National Tractor Trailer School (NTTS) and got a job at NuCar Carriers in Newark, N.J. He drove various large trucks but specialized in car carriers. Bill retired in 2010 after a proud 39-year career.
Bill had a passion for cars, particularly muscle cars of the 1960’s and 70’s. He also enjoyed working on his own cars. Bill was handy and self-sufficient, able to fix just about anything.
Bill possessed skills in the kitchen, cooking for his loved ones. He enjoyed listening to music and, as a younger man, even played the drums.
But one of his greatest life-long joys was animals. He was caring and compassionate to animals of all kinds, but especially his beloved dogs Duke, Coco, Girl, Pups and Petey.
Whether at work or in retirement, Bill had a knack for striking up conversation and befriending people. He was a kind and loving man who will be deeply missed by his family, friends and anyone whose heart he touched.
Bill is survived by his loving wife of 49 years, Anne Marie (Proscia) Liggio. He is also survived by his beloved daughters, Carrie (Todd) Lean of Bucks County, PA, Denise Liggio and her husband, Dennis Fediw of Nassau County NY, Christine Liggio and her fiancé Thomas Baron of Syracuse, NY; as well as his dear sister, Karen (Liggio) and Arthur Seltzer of Bucks County, PA; nephews, Andrew and Alec Seltzer; and grandchildren, Caleb and Aidan Lean; sister-in-law Diane, (Proscia) and Jay Semelmacher; and niece, Jennifer Camilli and great nephew, Justin Nickel.
All are invited to the funeral mass at 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 29, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church at 201 Main St, Worcester.
Burial will take place at the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery in Schuylerville, NY, where Bill will receive Military Honors.
Memorial donations in Bill’s memory may be made to Schenevus Maryland Emergency Squad, PO Box 80, Schenevus, NY 12155, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 201 Main St., Worcester, NY 12197, Super Heroes in Ripped Jeans, 697 Winney Hill Rd., Oneonta, NY 13820 or Susquehanna SPCA, 4841 State Highway 28, Cooperstown, NY 13326.
Expressions of sympathy may be sent to, www.hellerskinnerfh.com