Gabriel Scarsella

Gabriel Scarsella was born May 2nd, 1942 to Giuseppe and Ida Scarsella (Notarantonio) in the small town of Corbellino, L’Aquila  Italy. He was the youngest of 11 brothers and sisters.  Gabriel spent the first 14 years of his life in Italy with his family, until emigrating to the United States with his older sister Filomena in 1956. After arriving in the United States, the two young children were initially taken care of by their Uncle Biaggi and Aunt Mary. This was their first introduction to The Church of Jesus Christ, as their aunt and uncle were frequent and avid members.             Gabriel started school in Dearborn Michigan, and even with a limited grasp of the English language, graduated from Fordson High School in 1961 with a keen interest in precision tool making, and tool and die work. It was soon after graduation that Gabriel first met Inez (Sunny) Miralles, (Daughter of Manuel Miralles and Loretta Konczal) his future wife. Following High School, Gabe began the first of many jobs in the tool and die industry at Gorham Tool in Detroit MI, ultimately leading to his hiring into General Motors in 1981, where he continued his career as a Skilled Trades Machinist until his retirement in May 2008.             Gabriel and Sunny were married December 28th 1963 in Dearborn Heights Michigan, where they purchased a home and began their lives together. Soon after, their first son Don Gabriel (May 3rd, 1965) was born, followed 4 short years later by their second son, Jeffrey Daniel. (March 15th 1969). The family lived in Dearborn Heights until January 1996, when the completion of their home in Livonia MI was finished. This larger home on a half-acre of land was a blessing for the family, especially for Gabriel, as it allowed frequent family and friend get-togethers.  In addition, it afforded room for a large Garden complete with every Italian vegetable known to man, including his ability to raise fig trees in Michigan contrary to Mother Nature.  A venture for which he was extremely proud and earned him the name the fig doctor.             Many Sunday afternoons and evenings were spent in their home in Livonia with family and friends doing what he loved most…Being around the people, friends, and family that he cherished. Gabriel was also an avid animal lover, even planting a second set of crops that allowed access to feed the deer that occasionally grazed through his property, because “The deer need to be fed too…”.  In a nutshell, that was Gabriel. Always wanting everyone to be well fed, comfortable, and completely at home.             Gabriel was finally baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ September 25th 2016. Preceding this, he had suffered a number of strokes, the first of which occurred in Late December 2015, finally succumbing to complications from the strokes January 25th 2017. He is survived by wife Sunny Scarsella, sons Don and Jeff, sister Filomena DiRado, brother Amadeo, in addition to a long list of nieces, nephews, cousins, family and friends;  all of whom have lost a true giant of a man. Family will welcome friends on Monday January 30, 2017 11:00AM until time of service 3:00PM at: MANNS FAMILY FUNERAL HOME 17000 Middlebelt Road (South of 6 Mile Road) Livonia