Dr.
Dr. Henry J. Schiavello
d. December 29, 2023
Henry Schiavello was born on September 3, 1931 in Harlem, New York. His father Anthony, known as Tom, was an electrician and his mother Mary was a homemaker. Together they owned a hardware store in Ridgewood, Queens on Seneca Avenue. Henry attended PS 93 and went on to attend Stuyvesant High School, then onto New York University. He played the trumpet in the band in high school and college. Henry always had dreams since childhood of becoming a doctor.
He entered the Army at Fort Dix, New Jersey, where he played his trumpet or bugle at Taps for lights out or Reveille at sunrise. He was in the Military Police. After his discharge from the Army, Henry married and Ann Zizzo. He went on to medical school at the University of Rome in Rome Italy for five years. They started their family in Italy, with their first born son, Steven. After graduating from medical school they returned to America and settled in Flushing Queens. He started his practice in obstetrics and gynecology. They had two more sons, Richard and Gary. Henry then became the chairman of the department of OB/GYN in Flushing Hospital. After many years at Flushing Hospital he relocated to Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn. He was also the chairman of obstetrics and gynecology and instituted a program of residency for OB/GYN. This was a feather in the cap for the hospital to have such an exceptional and remarkable teaching program. Henry also initiated the first ever program in the area that attached a microchip in the umbilical cord of the new borns, as to prevent babies from being snatched out of the hospital. Additionally, he established a private practice on Fresh Pond Road in Brooklyn, which was desperately needed in the area.
His personal life in the mid 1980s was in flux and ended in divorce. Henry then married Gwen Balducci, and instantly gained two stepsons, Charles and Marc Balducci. Gwen and Henry were together for 38 years. They loved playing golf, dining out, entertaining and traveling. Henry had a love for the game of baseball. His team was the Brooklyn Dodgers but when they moved to Los Angeles, he became a big Mets fan. He enjoyed golf, and was fortunate enough to have a the hole-in-one recognition at Pinehurst, North Carolina. His hole-in-one feat occurred at Hempstead Country Club with his friend Carl LaGrassa.
But Henry’s true love and passion was medicine. He had a very distinguished career. He was elected to President of the medical boards both at Flushing Hospital and Wyckoff Heights Medical Center. He was awarded special honors with the LH Peterson award at Flushing Hospital. He also received the Isadora Caputo award at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center. While at Wyckoff, he established the precedent of giving a stroller to every mother who delivered in the hospital. He also established the Wyckoff Women’s Health Center, the first ever in the community, so women could go into one building and have all the services they needed in one place. He received distinguished awards from “New York Magazine” “The Best Doctors in New York” years 1998, 1999 and 2000. After delivering over 8,000 babies and no malpractice suits, Henry decided to retire after 50 years of medicine – at the age of 79.
He enjoyed spending the rest of his life with family and his four step grandchildren Sofia 15, Valentina 13, Luke 13 and Siena 10 who captured his heart.
Service Schedule
Past Services
Visitation
Wednesday, January 4, 2023
4:00 - 7:00 pm (Eastern time)
Moloney-Sinnicksons Funeral Home and Cremation Center
Service
Wednesday, January 4, 2023
Moloney-Sinnicksons Funeral Home and Cremation Center
Mass
Thursday, January 5, 2023
Starts at 9:30 am (Eastern time)
St. John The Evangelist RC Church, Center Moriches, NY
Guestbook
Visits: 11
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