Vincent J. Iturbe

Friday, Feb. 24, 2017

Vincent J. Iturbe

May 14, 1946 – Jan. 23, 2017

God reached down and gently took Vince Iturbe home on Jan. 23, 2017. He was 70 years old.

Born in Union City, N.J., on May 14, 1946, Vince was the son of Robert and Agnes (Ruggieri) Iturbe. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of New Jersey in 1968 and taught briefly before being called to serve in the Army in the jungles of Vietnam. 

He moved to Utah in 1976 and began his more than 30-year career with the Utah Department of Workforce Services as an unemployment insurance adjudicator. He worked as a hearings officer, audit monitor and fraud investigator on his way to becoming claims supervisor and unemployment insurance manager, often aiding the courts in prosecution cases and providing training in fraud investigation. He received a letter of commendation from the U.S. Department of Justice/FBI in 2003 and retired in 2009. 

Vince was proudest of his volunteer work with Community Nursing Services’ Journey Home hospice program and was a compassionate caregiver and companion to patients with HIV/AIDS and cancer for more than 30 years. In 2012, he received the VNAA Individual Care Provider Volunteer of the Year Award. He became known as “Mr. Art & Soup” by coordinating CNS’s annual fundraiser.

Vince was a longtime, active member of St. Catherine of Siena Newman Center Parish. As the unofficial historian, he loved to entertain gatherings with anecdotes about Newman’s eclectic history. He was a great storyteller and had a wonderful sense of humor. His other favorite subject was the Titanic; he was an authority on that iconic ship.

Vince loved to travel and made friends around the world. He was also a devoted godfather to a legion of godchildren and caring guardian to a succession of spirited cats. He is survived by his sister, Emily Vessillo; brother Anthony (Roberta) Ruggieri; nephews Todd (Michele) Ruggieri, Rosario (Donna) Vessillo, Jr., Michael Ruggieri and Stefanie Simeone; and great-nephews Brian Hillard, Devin Ruggieri, Joe Simeone and Russell Vessillo. A loving son, brother, uncle, godfather and friend, he will be greatly missed. 

A memorial Mass will be celebrated at St. Catherine of Siena Newman Center on Feb.  25 at 10:30 a.m., followed by a reception. A rosary precedes the Mass at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Community Nursing Services of Salt Lake City or the Fred and Annette Nicholas scholarship fund he endowed at TCNJ.