Obituary

When Selvi Vescovi’s eighth grade English teacher approached him to ask whether he was considering attending Stuyvesant High School, he replied, “Stuyvesant? I’ve never heard of it.” Selvi was a first-generation American whose working-class parents—struggling to make ends meet—were hardly aware of the choices available in city schools. Fortunately, he entered with the Class of 1947 and never looked back. The education he received got him into the College of William & Mary. From there, he worked his way up the corporate ladder at The Upjohn Company, retiring after 34 years as President of the company’s international division.

Selvi Vescovi, 90, San Francisco, CA. Friday, October 16. He was born to immigrant parents in New York, the son of Anthony and Desolina Consigli. He attended the prestigious Stuyvesant High School and went on to earn a B.S. in Marine Biology at The College of William & Mary. After two years service in the US Army, he joined The Upjohn Company in 1954 as a salesman. This boy, who grew up in a tough Italian/Irish neighborhood called Hell's Kitchen, rose to General Manager and President of Upjohn's International Division. He travelled to more than 50 countries, retiring in 1988. In retirement, he taught International Business at Western Michigan University. Services are private. Survivors include: his wife of 66 years, Elma; three children Mark, James, and Anne; and grandchildren Alma, Luca, Francesca, and Carlo. The family would like to thank Hospice by the Bay and Coventry Place Residence.