Carmine Sorrentino, 57, of Palatine, co-owner of Sorrentino’s Barber Shop in Arlington Heights, died Wednesday in Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights.
Mr. Sorrentino was 14 years old when he left Italy to join his father in Chicago. It wasn’t long before Mr. Sorrentino picked up a pair of scissors and decided to become a barber.
Mr. Sorrentino was 17 years old when he began as an apprentice at Collins Barber Shop in Arlington Heights. Within a few years, he was ready to go into business for himself. He and his brother, Cesare, opened their own barber shop, which they have operated for the past 30 years.
“He was happiest when he was at work,” said his daughter Donna Suthers, who added that her father was cutting hair until the day he died. “He didn’t want to retire.”
He spent 20 years volunteering his services to the Clearbrook Center in Rolling Meadows, a social service agency for the physically and mentally disabled, after donating one of his barber chairs to the center. When he found out there wasn’t anyone available to cut hair, Mr. Sorrentino stepped in.
“He would come in and cut their hair, which is a very difficult task, and he did an excellent job,” said David Boggs, administrator of Clearbrook Commons.
Last year, Mr. Sorrentino was the recipient of the Clearbrook Leap of Faith Award.
A resident of Palatine since 1964, Mr. Sorrentino also made house calls to the elderly.
Besides his daughter and brother, survivors include his wife of 36 years, Jackie; three sons, Anthony, Darryl and Mark; another daughter, Mary Lou Rossdeutscher; his father, Gaetano; three sisters, Maria Turano, Emma Bosco and Ada Garro; five grandchildren; seven step-grandchildren; and a step-great-grandchild.
Services will be at 9:15 a.m. Saturday in Glueckert Funeral Home Ltd., 1520 N. Arlington Heights Rd., Arlington Heights. Mass will be said at 10 a.m. in St. Thomas of Villanova Catholic Church, 1152 Anderson St., Palatine.
