Vincent Pastore, known for his role as Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero in the HBO series "The Sopranos," was honored at a funeral service on Thursday in New Rochelle, New York. The invite-only memorial at Holy Family Church was attended by several of his "Sopranos" co-stars, including Steven Van Zandt, Maureen Van Zandt, Kathrine Narducci, Michael Rispoli, and Al Sapienza.
Pastore died on August 1 at the age of 80. His funeral service featured a closed casket. Steven Van Zandt, who portrayed Silvio Dante on the series and served as a pallbearer, shared his sentiments with The New York Post. "One of a kind, and we'll miss him very much," Van Zandt said, noting he had been in frequent contact with Pastore, including a call just two days before his passing.
Steven and Maureen Van Zandt had also posted tributes on X (formerly Twitter) following news of Pastore's death. Maureen Van Zandt described Pastore as her "big brother, my acting, producing and teaching partner, my director and most importantly, my dear friend," adding that her "heart is broken."
Pastore's daughter, Renee Pastore, delivered a speech at the memorial service, remembering her father's generosity. "He was a man who lived out his dreams… but he knew how lucky he was," she told the approximately 150 attendees. "I think that's why he tried to share as much of it with as many people as possible," she added, encouraging mourners to honor his memory by performing acts of kindness.
Pastore, a Vietnam veteran who served in the Navy from 1964 to 1967, was honored with an American flag draped over his coffin. Attendees included Chazz Palminteri, of "A Bronx Tale."
