Silvio F. Suine

Silvio passed away peacefully on January 25th, 2026 surrounded by his family.

He was born on October 24, 1927, to Pietro and Celia Suine in Portola, California. Shortly thereafter, the family moved to Sacramento, where Silvio made his home for the rest of his life. He attended Coloma School, Kit Carson junior high and graduated from Sacramento High School in 1945.

In November of the same year, Silvio enlisted in the United States Navy and served until 1947. He was stationed aboard the USS Kenneth Whiting (AV-14), and his company participated in Operation Crossroads, the historic Navy–Army joint task force atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

After returning home, Silvio began his career with the State of California, Department of Motor Vehicles, as a Data Processing Manager. It was there that he met the love of his life, LaVerne Leonard. They married on February 3, 1951, and would have celebrated 75 years of marriage this February.

Silvio embraced life with joy and enthusiasm. He was an avid baseball fan and played recreational softball with the DMV team. He played bocce ball weekly and competed in many tournaments at East Portal Park. A devoted supporter of high school sports, Silvio especially looked forward to football season and was the proud “official driver” for getting the St. Francis girls to games.

He was active at St. Mary’s School and Church and a lifelong member of the Piemonte Reale Benevolent Society, where he faithfully served as treasurer for many years. He was the longest standing member at 60 years. Silvio was also a dedicated volunteer at the annual Sacramento Jazz Festival. Deeply rooted in his River Park community, he helped distribute the neighborhood news and created the garden along Moddison Avenue. Silvio was especially admired for his “green thumb.” His vegetable garden flourished, and he took great pride in seeding maple trees, tending his olive tree, and planting seasonal flowers—most notably his spring tulip garden, which neighbors and friends looked forward to each year. Silvio was a light to many. He cherished his family, lifelong friends, and all those whose lives he touched. He was a giving soul who always lent a hand to those in need. One of his guiding beliefs was, “Never judge a person until you’ve walked in their shoes.”

In addition to his beloved wife, LaVerne, Silvio is survived by his daughters Tina and Gina (John), and his son Anthony; his grandchildren Elizabeth (Todd), Sean (Stacie), Samantha (Adam), Noelle (Justin), Natalie (Liam), John Jr., A.J. and Brody; great grandchildren, Sophia, Frankie & Rory.

He was preceded in death by his beloved daughter Patrice, his grandson Peter, and his sister Lorraine Kelleghan.

Services will be held at St. Mary’s Church on Thursday, February 5th @ 11am.