Gabriel Bevilacqua Service Information

Gabriel L.I. Bevilacqua, 75, of Philadelphia, attorney, former Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association and active leader in Philadelphia’s Italian-American community, died on June 7, 2023, of complications of bone cancer.

 Gabe’s story was an American story. He was born in Pennadomo in the Abruzzo region of Italy in 1948, and emigrated to the United States with his parents and three siblings in 1955, settling in South Philadelphia on Sigel Street. He attended St. Edmond School and Bishop Neumann High School (now Saint John Neumann High School). At Bishop Neumann, Gabe joined the speech and debate team, a decision that both foreshadowed his career in law and changed the course of his life. His first airplane ride was a trip to compete at the 1963 National Catholic Forensic League national tournament held in Denver, and often recounted his experience ordering a cheesesteak and was surprised to learn that in Colorado a cheesesteak is a porterhouse with melted cheese on top – the world was bigger than South Philadelphia. A year later, at the Liberty Bell high school debate tournament at the University of Pennsylvania, he, aged 16, met his future wife, Phyllis Brady, aged 14, a native of Lyndhurst, New Jersey, who had traveled to Philadelphia for the tournament. Little did he know that the girl from North Jersey would end up being his wife of almost 51 years.

 Gabe attended St. Joseph’s University and Temple Law School, marrying Phyllis after his second year at Temple. Their first home was in South Philadelphia, where they lived before moving to the Bustleton section of Northeast Philadelphia a few years later, where they would raise their two sons, Gabriel Jr. and Patrick, and where they lived until 2017 when they moved to Center City.

 Gabe’s first job out of law school was in the Philadelphia city solicitor’s office, where he worked from 1973 to 1984, he held various positions including chief deputy city solicitor, chief of major trials and eventually chairman of the Litigation Department.

 In 1984, he joined the law firm of Saul, Ewing, Remick and Saul, where he later became a partner and worked for the remainder of his career. He supported a wide range of clients eventually focusing on health care, and represented multiple national medical specialty licensing boards, including the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

 Gabe was deeply involved in the legal community in Philadelphia. He served as President of the Philadelphia Bar Foundation, and as Assistant Treasurer and Treasurer of the Philadelphia Bar Association. In 2004, he was elected the 77th Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association. He also served as Chancellor of the Justinian Society of Philadelphia.

 Gabe embraced his Italian heritage and was very active in the Italian-American community in both Philadelphia and nationally. He was a longtime member of the Order of Sons of Italy of America, and served as the President of the Commission for Social Justice, an organization focused on combating negative stereotypes about Italian-Americans in popular media and culture. As a result of his contributions to the Italian-American community in the United States, he was later honored with the title of Cavilieri by the Italian government.

 An expansive and generous host, he loved to cook his signature frutti di mare pasta and share a bottle of his favorite Amarone. He was an avid and voracious reader throughout his life, with a an optimism about the future revealed by his fondness for science fiction novels. He especially enjoyed spending time with Phyllis at their second home in Manasquan, New Jersey, working on his garden and marveling at the sunset from his deck.

 In his later years, he found a new chapter of joy in his grandchildren, as Gabriel Jr. and his wife Kathryn welcomed Zoe (13) and Desmond (8) and Patrick and his wife Courtney welcomed Aiden (10) and Dempsey (7). He delighted in walks with them around Rittenhouse Square and introducing them to his favorite movies.

 He passed away peacefully at home following a lengthy battle with bone cancer. He is survived by his wife, two sons and their spouses, four grandchildren and two siblings. 

Relatives and friends are invited to visitation on Wednesday June 14, 2023 from 9 -10:45am at the Maternity B.V.M. Church 9220 Old Bustleton Ave. Phila. PA 19115. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11am. Interment will be held privately. Donations in his name should be made to The Breathingroomfoundation.org

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