GIOVAN BATTISTA SGRO

MUSCATINE, Iowa – Giovan Battista Sgro, 62, passed away on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at his home.

Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, at the Ss. Mary Mathias Catholic Church. The Reverend Isaac Doucette will officiate.

Visitation will be held from 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. on Monday, May 27, 2024, at the Ralph J. Wittich-Riley-Freers Funeral Home. Online condolences: www.wittichfuneralhome.com.

Giovan was born on June 16, 1961, in San Cipirello, Sicily, Italy, the son of Biagio Sgró and Rosalia Sgroí. He married Antonia Vitale on September 21, 1989, in Sicily, Italy. They later divorced but both still loved each other.

Giovan received military training in Italy when he turned 18. He worked as a mechanic and a farmer for his father in the vineyards before coming to America in 1989. In 2001, with his family he opened Antonellas Ristorante, which is still owned by the family today. He was the owner and operator of Salvatore’s Ristorante in Muscatine.

Giovan was a peaceful man with a moral compass, knowing right from wrong. He was very supportive, caring, a great listener, and a rock for many people. He was a proud man that never said anything bad about anyone and had a great sense of humor. He never knew a stranger and would always make you feel welcomed. Giovan will be missed by many people.

Giovan had a green thumb and enjoyed nature and being outside. He loved to cook and believed he was the best cook in the world. He was musically inclined, he played the guitar, sang, and danced. He was a handyman and there wasn’t anything that Giovan could not fix. Most importantly, he loved his two dogs, Roxanne and Akira, and his twins, Giovanni and Samanta, who were his whole world.

Giovan is survived by his children, Giovanni Sgró (Alyssa Metallo) and Samanta Sgró (Gage Chambliss); their mother, Antonia; mother, Rosalia Sgroí; siblings, Francesco Sgró, Enza Sgró, and Domenica Sgró; several nieces and nephews; many cousins; and lots of friends.

He is preceded in death by his father, and grandfather, Battista.