Domenico DeMarco recently died at the age of 85 (Image via Susan Saltzman-Gonzalez/Facebook)Brooklyn-based Di Fara Pizza’s founder Domenico DeMarco recently passed away at the age of 85. His daughter Margie Mieles shared the news through social media on March 17 and said,“It is with a broken heart that I must share that he has left my mom, my brothers, my sister, myself and all those that loved him because it was his time.”She continued and said,“My world revolved around my dad. I worked alongside him since I was a little girl. He was the hardest working man I know and he was a leader and will remain a leader through his legacy.”The cause of his death remains unknown, and his son Alex told Brooklyn Paper’s Ben Brachfeld that his father has been on dialysis for the last few weeks. The store will remain closed until further notice.Domenico DeMarco’s name became popular all these years because of Di Fara Pizza. People expressed their grief on Twitter when they heard about his death.David Simon@AoDespairWhen my time comes, I’ll fold arms across chest and breathe a contented last. Thrice in my otherwise misspent life, Domenico DeMarco stood over my pie to clip fresh basil with his big scissors. May his memory be a blessing to all at DiFara’s. ny.eater.com/2022/3/17/2298… via @EaterNY1:13 AM · Mar 18, 202229233When my time comes, I’ll fold arms across chest and breathe a contented last. Thrice in my otherwise misspent life, Domenico DeMarco stood over my pie to clip fresh basil with his big scissors. May his memory be a blessing to all at DiFara’s. ny.eater.com/2022/3/17/2298… via @EaterNYAsad أسد 🥸@DandiaAsadA major devastating loss for the pizza world: Domenico DeMarco, founder of Brooklyn’s iconic Di Fara’s Pizzeria—where he made almost every slice by hand since 1965—passed away at 85. His pizzeria was declared by Anthony Bourdain as the best in Gotham. gothamist.com/food/domenico-…9:23 AM · Mar 18, 20224510A major devastating loss for the pizza world: Domenico DeMarco, founder of Brooklyn’s iconic Di Fara’s Pizzeria—where he made almost every slice by hand since 1965—passed away at 85. His pizzeria was declared by Anthony Bourdain as the best in Gotham. gothamist.com/food/domenico-…Alyssa Katz@alykatzzRIP my longtime corner pizza genius Dom DeMarco. Thank you for the love served on a paper plate.3:01 AM · Mar 18, 202231826RIP my longtime corner pizza genius Dom DeMarco. Thank you for the love served on a paper plate. https://t.co/EJQwcxwsrwKarol Markowicz@karolSuch sad news. Don DeMarco was a legend.9:23 AM · Mar 17, 2022939Such sad news. Don DeMarco was a legend. https://t.co/GFFqX6DvDiElijah Wood@elijahwoodThe world lost a pizza legend. So long Dom Demarco, founder and pizzaiolo of Di Fara’s, you’ll be greatly missed.3:52 AM · Mar 18, 202233321The world lost a pizza legend. So long Dom Demarco, founder and pizzaiolo of Di Fara’s, you’ll be greatly missed. https://t.co/ScvHjJUBvWDave Portnoy@stoolpresidenteRIP Dom DeMarco from Di Farra. Absolute pizza legend and one of the best pies ever made12:17 PM · Mar 18, 20223150139RIP Dom DeMarco from Di Farra. Absolute pizza legend and one of the best pies ever madeTejal Rao@tejalraoI didn’t know him, but god, I loved him. For over a decade, my Valentine's Day tradition was to go and eat pizza at DiFara, to take Dom DeMarco a box of chocolates and a card, to get almost too emotional to speak when I thanked him for his beautiful and unrelenting work.12:40 PM · Mar 18, 202239323I didn’t know him, but god, I loved him. For over a decade, my Valentine's Day tradition was to go and eat pizza at DiFara, to take Dom DeMarco a box of chocolates and a card, to get almost too emotional to speak when I thanked him for his beautiful and unrelenting work. https://t.co/DqDPKEgBlfHavohei@HavoheiRIP Domenico DeMarco founder of Di Fara Pizzeria in Brooklyn one of the best Pizza and personal favorites when I go to NY. Blessings to Dom’s kids and continued success for another 60 years! 🤷‍♂️5:24 AM · Mar 18, 202217RIP Domenico DeMarco founder of Di Fara Pizzeria in Brooklyn one of the best Pizza 🍕 and personal favorites when I go to NY. Blessings to Dom’s kids and continued success for another 60 years! 🤷‍♂️ https://t.co/CSXXlgV7GRMark Lehneman@MarkLehnemanRest In Peace Dom DeMarco of the great Di Fara Pizza in Brooklyn. The world lost a Pizza King and a great guy!4:29 AM · Mar 18, 2022152Rest In Peace Dom DeMarco of the great Di Fara Pizza in Brooklyn. The world lost a Pizza King and a great guy! https://t.co/4GXHZmOI1DJeffrey Wright@jfreewrightIf you saw him make a pie, you saw greatness. Tasting it was the cherry. A true artist. Maestro. RIP, Mr. DeMarco. gothamist.com/food/domenico-…2:35 AM · Mar 18, 202216425If you saw him make a pie, you saw greatness. Tasting it was the cherry. A true artist. Maestro. RIP, Mr. DeMarco. gothamist.com/food/domenico-…Everything known about Domenico DeMarcoDomenico DeMarco's cause of death remains unknown (Image via Pat Zoffreo/Facebook)Born on December 4, 1936, DeMarco was mostly known as the founder of Di Fara Pizza on Avenue J in Brooklyn in 1965. He even received national recognition for his restaurant and was considered the 'Godfather of Pizza' in Brooklyn.He emigrated from Caserta, Italy in 1959, and opened Di Fara Pizza in 1965 with business partner Farina. The joint’s name is a combination of his and his business partner’s names. Although he bought out Farina in 1978, he kept the original name.Domenico heavily influenced Brooklyn Pizza, including younger pizzaiolos like Mark Iacono of Lucali and Frank Pinello of Best Pizza. Lacano described DeMarco as the Joe DiMaggio of pizza. The Italian native received a haircut in the pizzeria in 2015 on the occasion of his 79th birthday from Brian Girgus, a drummer, barbershop owner, and pizza lover from Los Angeles.Tourists who came to the pizza joint used to wait for hours for a bite and catch a glimpse of DeMarco. Di Fara Pizza’s impact increased later and Hollywood celebrities also paid visits to the iconic pizzeria.