Fiorello Ventresco

PORTLAND – Fiorello Ventresco, 94, a longtime resident of Portland, passed away Jan. 12, 2026. He was born on Jan. 20, 1931, in Pettorano sul Gizio, Italy. In the 1930’s Fiorello, his father Francesco, mother Filomena and brothers John and Fernando escaped the fascist Italian government and became U.S. residents, settling in Madison, Maine.

Fiorello served in the Air Force during the Korean War and then became a student at Boston University. After attending graduate school in Michigan, he joined the faculty at University of Southern Maine. He taught European History at USM for 31 years and was a Professor Emeritus.

A voracious reader, he was interested in a wide variety of subjects including history (all kinds), art (everything from the European masters to comic strip art), and music (especially classical, opera and country western). He incorporated many of these interests into his classes.

Fiorello was known to be outgoing and kind. He will be fondly remembered by many people for many years.

He leaves behind his wife Judith of Portland; his sons, Noel of Boston, Mass. and Craig of San Francisco, Calif.

A Celebration of Life will take place at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, at the Italian Heritage Center, 40 Westland Ave., Portland.

Please visit http://www.jonesrichandbarnes.com to sign Fiorello’s online guest book.