Alfred Joseph Picconi, 77, of Hooksett, NH, a devoted family man who valued connection above all else, passed away peacefully on Wednesday April 22nd, 2026, surrounded by family at the Jack Byrne Palliative Care Center in Lebanon, NH.

Born in Morristown, New Jersey to Alfonse and Lillian (Freiwald) Picconi, Al was raised proud of his Italian heritage, a part of his identity that showed up in the way he lived—through his love of food, tradition, and time spent together with family. His natural ability to bring people together was his trademark whether with family, friends, or someone he had just met. He made people feel welcome, seen, heard, and remembered.

In his youth growing up in Boonton, NJ, Al attended Morris Catholic High School where he played football as a quarterback with his Crusader teammates who became lifelong friends. He loved attending his high school reunions to reconnect and keep those relationships strong.

While working at the United States Post Office, he studied Business Administration at Seton Hall University where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing with a background in Accounting. Following graduation, he found his first job in the wine and spirits industry at Seagram and Sons beverage company. Years later, he worked at Heublein and Maidstone before he co-founded United Beverages Inc. in New Hampshire in 1987. His career spanned 50 years in the wine and spirits industry where his ability to connect with others left a lasting impression on colleagues and clients and the community as a whole. Al believed people mattered most and carried that belief into every part of his life. Those convictions compelled him to serve a term as a New Hampshire state representative for Grafton County from 1998-2000.

Through mutual friends, Al met his beloved wife Jean in Boston, and they married in Florham Park, NJ in 1973. They raised their three children in Marlborough, MA and Lebanon, NH. In both communities Al was a family man through and through. Like his grandmother, his love of cooking was the foundation for gatherings and his favorite Italian dishes were enjoyed by all. While entertaining, he was often the one behind the camera capturing moments others might have missed and preserving memories his family will treasure for years to come.

Known to many as “Big Al,” he had a larger-than-life presence that drew people in. He was a natural storyteller, whether gathered around a table or in a crowded room. His stories were full of humor, detail, and heart, told in a way that made people feel like they were right there with him. Al loved music and if there was a Motown song playing within earshot, you would be sure to hear him singing along and encouraging people to dance. That same spirit made him the life of the party; someone people gravitated toward and remembered long after the moment had passed.

Al also loved to travel and bring his family together. Whether it was a planned trip abroad or a simple gathering on Cape Cod or in northern NH, he took joy in creating opportunities for people to connect, laugh, and share. His legacy lives on in the memories he preserved and the connections he made so easily.

Survivors include his wife Jean (Wolos) Picconi; a son Eric A. Picconi and his wife, Jessica, of Norwich, VT; two daughters Nicole M. Picconi Cordeiro and her husband, Gustavo, of Palm Beach Gardens, FL, and Lisa Picconi Spiess of Caanan, NH; six grandchildren, Nathaniel, Beckett, Lillian, Cora, Ember, and Mila; three siblings Paul F. Picconi and his wife, Katherine, of Boonton Township, NJ, Thomas A. Picconi and his wife, Susan, of Lebanon, NH, and Nancy C. Picconi of Rockaway, NJ; and a wide circle of relatives and friends who will miss his warmth, humor, and presence. He was preceded in death by his parents Alfonse and Lillian Picconi, his Great Aunt Catherine McCue, his brother David Picconi, sister-in-law Tina Abato, and his son-in-law Jeremy Spiess.  

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