OBIT: Eastern Meat Farms Founder Dies at 78

Ferdinand Lodico, the founder of Eastern Meat Farms in Franklin Square, died Monday at the age of 78.

Affectionately called “Papa Fred” at home and at shop, Lodico was born in Manhattan on September 21, 1932.  He moved with his family to Oceanside in 1969 and throughout his life he enjoyed the region’s parks and beaches.

In 1983, he opened Eastern Meat Farms in Franklin Square. Here many of his loyal customers from Knickerbocker Avenue in Brooklyn tracked him down to shop in the specialty gourmet Italian food market.

The business continues to be family-owned by son and co-founder, Richie Lodico, and son-in-law, Vinny Barbieri. In recent years, despite travel and living between Oceanside and Boca Raton, Fl., Lodico never stopped consulting on the business he founded.

“My father was a perfectionist in his business," Richie Lodico said. "Fred always had ideas for how to improve the already well-run business. He demanded excellence.

He went on to say that his father had an exceptional eye for detail and continued to visit the store even after he retired.

"His employees would look at his shoes before they said 'Hello.' If he wore dress shoes, they knew it was a short visit," Lodico said. "If he wore sneakers, they knew he was staying for the day. They also knew they would be running around the place to please him."

Lodico added that his dad had a lighter side too.

“Although he was serious at work, he was always fun with his children and grandchildren," he said. "For over 50 Christmases, he was Santa Claus, first for his children, nieces and nephews; and then for his grandchildren. We will miss him greatly.”

Lodico is survived by his wife, Pietra, son, Richard, two daughters, Phyllis and Olivia, daughter-in-law, Josephine,  son-in-laws Pasquale Iavarone and Vinny Barbieri and grandkids Michael Lodico, Nicole Barbieri, Vincent Barbieri and Kristin Gennaro and her husband, Mike.

Visitation services will be held Wednesday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Thursday, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Towers Funeral Home (2681 Long Beach Road, Oceanside).

There will be a funeral at St. Anthony's Church (110 Anchor Avenue,
Oceanside, NY) on Friday, August at 9:45 a.m. followed by a burial at Pinelawn Cemetery in Farmingdale.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the American Heart Association.