PHILLIP A. TERSIGNI, SR., 1937-2010: 'Voice of Woodmore' a born salesman
10/1/2010WOODVILLE - Phillip A. Tersigni, Sr., whose power of persuasion won over industrial customers, homebuyers, students, and state officials, died of cancer in Mercy St. Charles Hospital on Wednesday, two days before his 73rd birthday.
"He was a natural-born salesman," son Michael said.
Mr. Tersigni of Sandusky County's Woodville Township worked for his son Michael's child-care centers and opened a branch called A+ Tutoring to help out "underprivileged children in schools in academic emergency," his son said. "He really took a lot of pride in working with families and getting parents involved with the children and their school."
He also was an account executive for Primerica, a financial services firm. He had been a Realtor. He was a former vice president and sales director for Giant Products in Toledo, selling high-pressure pumps to industrial customers.
He was in the public eye in the late 1990s for his successful drive to persuade the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio that Woodville should have an expanded toll-free calling area. Callers had paid long-distance rates to reach the high school just a few miles away in another county. "He wasn't going to take no for an answer," his son said. "So many people saved so much."
He was a former announcer of home Woodmore High football games and was introduced to the crowd as "the voice of the Woodmore Wildcats."
Born in Schenectady, N.Y., he served stateside in the Air Force. In Connecticut afterward, he was a mechanic for Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., sold recreational vehicles, and had a landscaping business.
Surviving are his wife, Barbara, whom he married Oct. 27, 1957; daughter, Deborah Jeremy; sons, Phillip, Jr., Michael, David, Vincent, and Matthew; brother, Ronald, and 10 grandchildren.
Visitation will be in the Robinson-Walker Funeral Home, Genoa, from 4-8 p.m. Sunday.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Genoa, where he headed the program to train youth lectors and altar servers.
The family suggests tributes to the church.