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Vincent Dell'Osa Jr., instrument 'doctor'

TO MUSICIANS with a bent trumpet bell, a sticky valve or dents in a trombone or French horn, Vincent Dell'Osa Jr. was "Dr. Dell'Osa."

TO MUSICIANS with a bent trumpet bell, a sticky valve or dents in a trombone or French horn, Vincent Dell'Osa Jr. was "Dr. Dell'Osa."

Vince was a veritable surgeon of brass, with magic fingers and a passion for perfection that wouldn't accept indifferent work.

That dent. It had to be erased; it had to be made invisible. That bent bell, it had to come out of his South Philadelphia workshop better than it was.

As a result, musicians took their wounded instruments to him for more than 40 years when he was basically the only repairman in the region with special skills.

Vincent Dell'Osa, who learned his trade from his father, Vincent Sr., an immigrant from Italy, died Nov. 20 at the age of 88. He was living at St. Martha's Manor, in Downingtown, but had lived most of his life in South Philadelphia.

Vince not only repaired brass instruments, he played them. He played the trumpet in local orchestras, and in later years enjoyed playing a flugelhorn for his own enjoyment and that of the fellow residents of St. Martha's.

But it was as a repairman that he won fame and recognition from musicians, many from the Philadelphia Orchestra. The orchestra's entire brass section at one time relied on his expertise.

It wasn't uncommon for Vince to be rousted from bed in the middle of the night to work on an instrument. One incident he cited in an interview in 1987 was when a musician and his trumpet fell down a flight of stairs.

He once soldered a piece back into a trumpet an hour before its owner was to play for the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Other hasty jobs were done for musicians hurrying to the Earl Theater or the Academy of Music for gigs.

"We enjoyed our work," Vince told an interviewer for the Inquirer. "And we believed in perfection. And at times working on a job, if we saw something else which wasn't detected at the time it was brought in, or the customer didn't know . . . and it was important to get it done, we did it. So that way we'd have a happy customer."

Vince was born in South Philadelphia to Amelia and Vincent Dell'Osa Sr. While at Barratt Junior High School, he played trumpet in the school orchestra. In the 9th grade, he played in the All-City Junior High School Festival Orchestra. At South Philadelphia High School for Boys, he was a member of the school orchestra, which sent 13 graduates to the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Vince's maternal grandfather, Alfonso Rossi, was a band leader and music teacher. Vince joined his grandfather's orchestra at age 14 and traveled with it throughout the region.

The Rossi family came to this country from Gessopallena, Province of Chieti, in Abbruzzi, Italy. Alfonso arrived first and established himself as a musician and teacher. Vince's mother arrived later.

Vince's father was also born in Abbruzzi, in the town of Torino di Sangro. In the United States, he learned to repair musical instruments with a Philadelphia instrument repair company.

He opened his own shop in 1920. His son joined him in 1946. Dell'Osa Sr. specialized in repairing woodwinds; his son worked in brass. Vince's father died in 1973, and his mother in 1984.

Vince played the trumpet in the Buddy Lawrence Dance Band for a number of years. After his retirement in 1993, he worked with senior citizens in his neighborhood.

Vince never married. He is survived by a sister, Inez Dell'Osa Wilczek. He was prececeased by a brother, Amedeo.

Services were held last Friday at Ss. Philip and James Church, Route 30 and Ship Road, Exton. Friends may call at 10 a.m. Burial will be in Fernwood Cemetery. Donations may be made to the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra, Box 41810, Philadelphia PA 19101, or St. Martha's Manor, Recreation Services Dept., 470 Manor Ave., Downingtown, PA 19335.