Vito Melchiorre Mutolo

Vito Melchiorre Mutolo, 88, passed away suddenly and peacefully in his home in Watkinsville, GA on February 3, 2025. By his side was his wife of 57 years, Patricia (Terrell). Vito was an amazing man. He lived and taught by his example of how to be young at heart, with humor in actions and words, perseverance of will, and unselfishness in nearly all things. Together, Pat and Vito raised three sons, and are grandparents of six. 

Vito was the son of an Italian immigrant, Vincent Mutolo, born in Sicily and who immigrated to New York through Ellis Island, and Angelina F. Monti, a first-generation American of Sicilian heritage. Vincent contributed to building the George Washington Bridge and Angelina was a graduate of Hunter College and Columbia University, and a teacher in New York City public schools for more than 30 years. Vito grew up in Queens, NY. He graduated from The Cooper Union with a degree in Art and Architecture, and a Bachelor’s Degree in architecture from Pratt Institute. He served in the US Army as a surveyor in the early 1960s, including being stationed in Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany. Vito was a member of the American Institute of Architects. His career as an architect included work for three firms, where he designed and helped manage the production of scores of complex projects including the 8th Avenue entrance to Penn Station in New York City, multiple residences and residential additions in Westchester County, NY, multiple municipal buildings in the New York Tri-State Area. Independently, he also designed projects for his family, including the Tree House in the Adirondacks, NY, and additions to their homes in Bedford, NY and Watkinsville, GA. 

 He met Patricia Ann Terrell in New York in 1964. They fell in love, and were married in Manhattan in June 1968. After living on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, they moved to Yonkers, NY where they raised three sons, Peter, Paul and Christopher, before moving to Bedford, NY in 1991. They relocated to Watkinsville, GA in 2023.

Vito was a consummate New Yorker. After moving north to Westchester, he continued working in Manhattan for many years. He shared his knowledge and love of the City with his sons and grandchildren. He could hail a cab with a look, be welcomed as a local in their favorite restaurants, and deftly and gracefully navigate the streets and rails of the City. Vito loved painting in watercolor, especially the scenes of mountains and lakes from his Adirondack home. He liked listening to opera, and dining out. He enjoyed music and had diverse interests from Zydeco to Pavarotti to Earl Scruggs. He enjoyed traveling and visiting with family and friends, and instilling a sense of steadiness, patience and love in his actions.

Vito is survived by his wife, Patricia (Terrell), his older brother, Frank (Joann) Mutolo, and his children Peter (Shelby Evans) Mutolo, son Ben; Paul (Jennifer) Mutolo, sons Andrew and Nicholas; and Christopher (Danielle Daure) Mutolo, children Lucienne, Morgan, and Felix. 

He is very dearly missed by his family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to your local first responders, or a charity of your choice, in memory of Vito. A memorial service for family and friends will be held in Westchester County, NY, in late April or early May 2025, with details forthcoming.