Placido “Tom” Bongiovanni, 92, died at 8:17 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2017 at the Salem Regional Medical Center. He was born Jan. 4, 1925, in New York City, the son of the late Giuseppe and Maria (Comminitti) Bongiovanni. Tom was a brick layer for Wisconsin Steel in Chicago. He was a member of St. Paul Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus, 4th Degree Knights, Italian-American Club, Salem AmVets Post 45 and Salem V.F.W. Post 892. In 2011, he was the Grand Marshal for the Memorial Day parade. During World War II, he served in the South Pacific in the U.S. Navy.

His wife, Lorraine D. (Wolsko) Bongiovanni, whom he married Aug. 29, 1975, preceded him in death on May 16, 2014. Survivors include two stepdaughters, Pastor Amanda “Aimee” (Pastor Lou) Raymond of Salem and Susan (Ray Collins) Swanson of Alsip, Ill.; a stepson, Michael (Barbara) Metzger of El Paso, Texas; one sister, Rita Fisher of Cedar Lake, Ind.; three brothers, Frank (Joy) Bongiovanni of Fresno, Calif. and Charles Bongiovanni of Chicago, and Anthony (Deana) Bongiovanni of Oxnard, Calif.; three grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; and his special friends, John Maniscalco and family and Mr. and Mrs. David Roberts.