Silvio John Raffaelli, 83, previously of Oakbrook Terrace, a skilled furniture maker and co-founder of Parenti & Raffaelli Ltd. in Chicago, died Saturday, Jan. 31, near his home in Tuscany, Italy, of heart failure. Born in New Haven, Conn., Mr. Raffaelli was the son of Italian immigrants. At age 2, he lost his father to pneumonia, which resulted in his family moving to Chicago to live closer to relatives. During the Depression, his family moved to Italy, where he spent most of his childhood. As a child, Mr. Raffaelli enjoyed working with his hands and, under the guidance of a local craftsman, he became a fine cabinetmaker at a very young age. After living in Italy for 12 years, Mr. Raffaelli returned to Chicago and later served in the Army in World War II. After the war, he worked for a time at Northern Picture Frame in Chicago, where his talents did not go unnoticed. In 1951, he became a co-founder with Bob and Ron Parenti of Parenti & Raffaelli, a manufacturer of interior woodwork and furniture. According to family members, Mr. Raffaelli developed a reputation for workmanship of the highest quality. His cabinets and furniture graced the homes and offices of many well-known people in Chicago and its suburbs. A longtime resident of Oakbrook Terrace, Mr. Raffaelli moved to Montecatini Terme in Tuscany, where he lived for the last 15 years. Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Rina; two sisters, Velia Sodini and Rena Mencarini; and many nieces and nephews. Services will be held in Whittier, Calif.
