Mario Libonati

Mario Libonati, devoted husband, loving father, grandfather, great-grandfather, respected businessman, and cherished friend, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, at 11:40 a.m., surrounded by the love and memories of the family he dedicated his life to building.

Born on March 3, 1939, in Noepoli, Italy, Mario was the son of Vincenzo Libonati (1907-1993) and Rosa Giacobino Libonati (1910-1999), who instilled in him the values of faith, perseverance, hard work, and devotion to family that would guide him throughout his remarkable life.

In a beautiful twist of fate, Mario and his future wife, Irene Vitelli, were born on the very same day, March 3, 1939, in the same small Italian town. Their shared birthday became one of many special bonds in a lifelong love story. After marrying the love of his life, Mario and Irene immigrated to the United States in 1964, determined to create new opportunities and build a future for the family they dreamed of having together.

The young couple settled in Fairmont, West Virginia, where Mario proudly earned his United States citizenship and began pursuing the American dream. He first worked as a tailor for multiple menswear business in downtown Fairmont, where he became known for his exceptional craftsmanship and meticulous attention to detail. With determination, skill, and an entrepreneurial spirit, he later opened Mario's Menswear, a business that became a beloved fixture in the community.

For decades, Mario's Menswear served customers from throughout the area and beyond. Customers sought the quality tailoring, finely fitted suits, and personal service that became Mario's trademark. As traditional tailoring became increasingly difficult to find, Mario remained dedicated to his craft and to every customer who walked through his door. He retired in 2004, leaving a legacy of professionalism, integrity, craftsmanship, and service.

Yet Mario's greatest accomplishment was never measured by business success. Together, Mario and Irene built a beautiful family rooted in love, hard work, and tradition. They were blessed with three children: Vincenzo Libonati and his wife, Kathy; Rosella Libonati Amos and her husband, Doug; and Gina Libonati Osbourn and her husband, Roger.

Mario was the proud grandfather of Carlton Anthony Osbourn and his wife, Colbi; Vincent Libonati; Olivia Gelsomina Osbourn; Sophia Libonati; Tanner Amos and Maddy; and Emily Rosa Osbourn Weiss and her husband, Tyler.

He was also blessed with six beloved great-grandchildren: Camila Clair Phillips, Adrianne Irene Phillips, Joseph Weiss, Cove Osbourn, Leo Giacinto Wayne Weiss, and Capri Osbourn.

Nothing brought Mario greater happiness than spending time with family and close friends. He had a gift for making everyone feel welcome and often expressed his love through food, conversation, and hospitality. His legendary Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes became a cherished family tradition and an enduring celebration of the things he loved most: family, faith, friendship, heritage, and extraordinary food. Those evenings, filled with laughter, stories, and generations gathered around his table, created memories his family will treasure forever.

Mario will be remembered for his warm smile, generous heart, tireless work ethic, and deep love for those around him. From his beginnings in Italy to the successful life he built in America, he embodied perseverance, sacrifice, and devotion. He never forgot where he came from, never stopped working for those he loved, and never missed an opportunity to bring family together.

From the values instilled in him by his parents, Vincenzo and Rosa, to the family he and Irene created in America, Mario's life was a testament to hard work, faith, sacrifice, and love. His journey began in Noepoli and carried him across an ocean, but his greatest legacy was not the successful business he built. It was the family gathered around his table, the traditions he passed from one generation to the next, and the memories that live on through his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, who proudly carry forward his family's names, values, and heritage.

Though Mario will be profoundly missed, his spirit lives on in the family he built, the traditions he created, the community he served, and the countless lives he touched. He is reunited in eternal peace with his parents, Vincenzo and Rosa, while the love he shared with Irene, his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, relatives, and friends will endure for generations.

The family extends special thanks to Amedisys Hospice Care and to the caregivers and nurses at St. Barbara's Nursing Home for the compassionate care, kindness, and support they provided to Mario and his family.

The family will receive friends at Domico Funeral Home, 414 Gaston Avenue in Fairmont, on Monday, October 19, 2026 from 1:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. A Catholic Funeral Liturgy will be held at St. Peter the Fisherman Catholic Church on Tuesday, October 20, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. with Father Kishore Varaparla as celebrant. Interment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.domicofh.com. 

A life built through hard work, a family united by love,

and a legacy that will never be forgotten.