When news arrived Feb. 16 that 80-year-old baker and self-taught artist Silvio Barile had died at his Redford Township home, the community he loved and fed for decades felt the loss deeply. For people like Bruce Marsalese, Silvio's death prompted nostalgic Facebook reflections about his bakery and pizzeria, which opened in 1960 and remained a Plymouth Road landmark for more than 40 years.
“A big part of my childhood was spent riding my bike to Silvio's for a Mountain Dew and a slice of pizza,” Marsalese said. “I remember the pepperoni rolls and him cutting the slices with scissors.” However, another community — one made up of people from near and far who celebrate art created outside the mainstream — also took note of Silvio's passing.
