Photo of Salvatore Scotto
Salvatore (Buddy) Scotto

Obituary of Salvatore (Buddy) Scotto

September 11, 2020

Salvatore "Buddy" Scotto, 91, passed away, Friday, September 11, 2020.
Buddy was a graduate of St. Francis College, Brooklyn. He faithfully served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict and was active in the Army Reserves.
Buddy retired as a Captain in the Army. A longtime community activist, he was the founder of the Carroll Gardens Association, which built affordable housing and was a persistent voice for the clean-up of the Gowanus Canal.
He was the second generation, owner and funeral director of the landmark Scott Funeral Home in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn.
Beloved son of the late Pasquale and Rose (Clemente) Scotto.
Survivors include his children, Debra and Mark; grandchildren, Sofia, Sabrina, and Matteo; sister, Theresa "Dolly" Spinelli; son-in-law, Chris; and daughter-in-law, Jazmin.
Flowers will not be accepted. In lieu of sending flowers, kindly make donations to the Carroll Gardens Association, Inc. 201 Columbia Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231, or contact them at 718-243-9301.

Funeral Services

Visitation

September 12, 2020

7:00 PM to 9:00 PM

September 13, 2020

2:00 PM to 5:00 PM

Perazzo Funeral Home

199 Bleecker St.

New York City, NY 10012

Get Directions

Funeral Mass

September 14, 2020

10:00 AM

Basilica of Old St. Patrick's Cathedral

263 Mulberry St.

New York, NY 10012

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Interment

September 14, 2020

Green-Wood Cemetery

500 25th St.

Brooklyn, NY 11232

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Thank you, Buddy Scotto, for all that you did for our beloved Carroll Gardens neighborhood. May you rest in peace.


Posted by: Laura LoPorto Eng - Brooklyn, NY - Neighbor September 15, 2020

I remember the day that I met Buddy in 1994 very clearly. I was working then for Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez and as part of getting to know the district had an appointment to meet with the 'Mayor of Carroll Gardens'. Buddy provided incredible context and vivid stories of the advocacy that he and others have engaged in over the years on the community's behalf. He has definitely left our little part of the world a better place through his civic participation, through his founding of local organizations and through his kindness to others. May he rest peace. My thoughts and prayers are with Deb and the entire family. Michelle


Posted by: Michelle de la Uz - Brooklyn, NY - Neighbor September 14, 2020

My colleagues and I at the United States Environmental Protection Agency had the greatest respect for Buddy, whose dedication to the revitalization of the Gowanus Canal and the surrounding communities had no equal. His passionate advocacy for these goals contributed enormously to the progress -- slow but steady -- that is finally being made to clean up the Canal. For 140 years and more the residents have awaited this cleanup, and thanks in no small measure to Buddy's effort it will start later this year. We mourn his passing, and wish he could have been there to watch when the cleanup begins.


Posted by: Walter Mugdan - New York, NY - Acquaintance September 14, 2020

Rest in Peace Buddy. I had the pleasure of working with you at Gowanus Canal. You will miss.


Posted by: Eva Ballero - Cliffside Park, NJ - Coworker September 14, 2020

The Mayor of Carroll Gardens , Buddy Scotto brought energy , dedication and tireless hard work and honesty to the people he loved in Carroll Gardens. Buddy was a patriot who loved and respected the opportunities which America afforded all its citizens. I will never forget our efforts in Support of Mario Cuomo during his run for mayor of NYC ; nor will I ever forget our time at the Republican convention in Kansas City and the role he played in nominating Gerald Ford. The accomplishments and the disappointments of later years remind one of Thomas Jefferson's lament that he had lived too long and that all his friend were gone. I want to sssure you Buddy that your friends are not gone and that you will live in our hearts always. Your Godson Ribert sends his love.Rest in peace.


Posted by: Robert Mollo - Deerfield, MA - Friend September 13, 2020

Mr. South Brooklyn will be heading home to Brooklyn for his final resting place.


Posted by: Arthur Paone - Naples, FL - Friend September 13, 2020

Buddy's dedication to the clean up of the Gowanus Canal is legendary. His dream of the Canal becoming the "Venice of Brooklyn" is no longer a pipe dream. Brooklyn could use more visionaries like Buddy. My heart goes out to the Scotto family.


Posted by: Lissa Wolfe - Brooklyn, NY - Acquaintance September 13, 2020

Met Buddy when I was hired as Executive Director of AMICO in 1985. He was a founder and Board member of this community-based organization. We had a cordial working relationship during my 26-year tenure at AMICO. Buddy was always on the go and a great advocate for the community. My sincere condolences to his family. May he rest in peace.


Posted by: Jerry Chiappetta - BROOKLYN, NY - Friend September 12, 2020

The Board of Directors and members of the Gowanus Alliance expressly grieve with the family and our entire community with the passing of one of our heroes. We learned more than we could ever teach from Buddy. We celebrate his life by continuing to follow his example for love of family and service to community.


Posted by: Paul Basile - Brooklyn, NY - Friend September 12, 2020

I worked closely with Buddy when he was on the Board of Long Island College Hospital and I was the head of PR and Development. We became good friends, bonding over our mutual love of Brooklyn, and I enjoyed his stories, especially the story about reactivating the long-broken pump for the flushing tunnel that was designed to keep the Gowanus Canal clean. Everything Buddy did was for the benefit of his community. Brooklyn benefited from Buddy's love of this borough.


Posted by: Sharon Spellman - Brooklyn, NY - Friend September 12, 2020

I met, rather 'encountered,' buddy in 1977 when we were creating the American Italian Coalition of Organizations and hardly left his orbit for decades. He was a leader in so many wonderful ways and he can't be missed because he left a legacy of activism throughout our city. I hope someday to watch the salmon run on the Gowanus Canal after it becomes Brooklyn's San Antonio River Walk.


Posted by: Jerome Krase - Brooklyn, NY - Friend September 12, 2020