Obituary for Francis E. Paoli
Francis E. Paoli,
62, of Sunset Road, Ironwood Township, died peacefully Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2011,
in his home, with his family by his side. He was born Oct. 4, 1948, in Hancock, son of
the late Louis and Leone (Musial) Paoli, and graduated from St. Ambrose High
School in Ironwood in 1966. He then attended Gogebic Community College, and
graduated from Northern Michigan University in 1972. During that time, he
entered the U.S. Army in 1970, was transferred to reserve status in 1971, and was honorably
discharged as a specialist five in July, 1976. Fran worked in the family owned warehousing
business, Cohodas-Paoli Co., from his teenage years through 1989, when the
business was sold to Pacific Gamble Robinson. He then was employed with MFC
First National Bank in Ironwood and was a graduate of Northern Michigan School
of Banking in 1998. He continued his career with Wells Fargo Bank in Ironwood,
currently as Business Banker and Community Bank president. Fran was a member of Our Lady of Peace
Catholic Church in Ironwood and formerly served on the finance council, a member
of Ironwood Knights of Columbus Council No. 1396, where he served as Grand
Knight, district deputy and financial secretary, and was a member of Pere Menard
Assembly No. 471, Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus. He also was a member and
past president of the Ironwood-Hurley Rotary Club, a member of Ironwood Amercian
Legion Post 5, served on the Ironwood Theatre Board of Directors and other
numerous boards in Gogebic County, and chaired the local U.P. Community
Foundation. He enjoyed golfing, hunting and fishing, and loved spending time
with his family and friends at home and at the cottage on Thousand Island
Lakes. On Feb. 5, 1972, he was married to the former
Linda M. Kivi at St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Ironwood by the Rev. Jed
Patrick. They recently celebrated their 39th wedding anniversary. Linda
survives. Also surviving are two sons, Gregory (Arina),
Vadnais Heights, Minn., and Nathan (Sarah), Deerfield, Wis.; a grandson, Gabriel
Francis Paoli, born Feb. 19, 2011, to Greg and Arina; his sister, Barbara
(David) Patrick, Cibolo, Tx.; mother, Mary Paoli, Bradenton, Fla., and Ironwood;
sisters-and-brother-in-law, Denise Paoli and Judy and Don Holst, all of Ironwood
Township; very special aunts and uncles, Ralph and Mary Ann Paoli, Wausau, Wis.,
and Agnes Dahm and Marvin and Bette Musial, all of Manitowoc, Wis.; nieces and
nephews, Mark (Terri) Patrick, Austin, Tx., Emily (Joe) Johnson, Minneapolis,
Joe (Tammie) Paoli, Marinette, Wis., Nicholas Paoli, Calumet, Paul (Candace)
Holst, Ironwood, and Shelly (Tito) Santini, Hurley, Wis.; and numerous
grand-nieces, grand-nephews and cousins. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death
by his brother, Louis "Butch", on June 19, 2005. Out of respect for Fran's wishes, cremation
has taken place. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated
Monday, Feb. 28, at noon, at Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church in Ironwood, with
the Rev. Darryl J. Pepin, celebrant. Rite of Committal will take place in the St.
Joseph Family Room at the church, where full military honors will be accorded by
the Ironwood American Legion Post 5 Honor Guard. Luncheon will follow in the parish
hall. Spring burial will be in Sunset Acres
Cemetery, Ironwood Township. Relatives and friends may call in the St.
Joseph Family Room at the church from 10 a.m. until noon on Monday, where
members of Pere Menard Assembly No. 471, Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus, will
serve as honor guard. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed
to the Gogebic Community College Foundation, E4946 Jackson Road, Ironwood, Mich.
49938, for the Francis E. Paoli Business Scholarship to be established, or the
Our Lady of Peace Adopt-A-Student Program, 108 So. Marquette St., Ironwood,
Mich. 49938. To view Fran's obituary online, sign the
guestbook and express condolences, visit
mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are entrusted to McKevitt-Patrick
Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Ironwood. The family wishes to thank Aspirus Superior
Home Health and Hospice for their compassionate services.
62, of Sunset Road, Ironwood Township, died peacefully Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2011,
in his home, with his family by his side. He was born Oct. 4, 1948, in Hancock, son of
the late Louis and Leone (Musial) Paoli, and graduated from St. Ambrose High
School in Ironwood in 1966. He then attended Gogebic Community College, and
graduated from Northern Michigan University in 1972. During that time, he
entered the U.S. Army in 1970, was transferred to reserve status in 1971, and was honorably
discharged as a specialist five in July, 1976. Fran worked in the family owned warehousing
business, Cohodas-Paoli Co., from his teenage years through 1989, when the
business was sold to Pacific Gamble Robinson. He then was employed with MFC
First National Bank in Ironwood and was a graduate of Northern Michigan School
of Banking in 1998. He continued his career with Wells Fargo Bank in Ironwood,
currently as Business Banker and Community Bank president. Fran was a member of Our Lady of Peace
Catholic Church in Ironwood and formerly served on the finance council, a member
of Ironwood Knights of Columbus Council No. 1396, where he served as Grand
Knight, district deputy and financial secretary, and was a member of Pere Menard
Assembly No. 471, Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus. He also was a member and
past president of the Ironwood-Hurley Rotary Club, a member of Ironwood Amercian
Legion Post 5, served on the Ironwood Theatre Board of Directors and other
numerous boards in Gogebic County, and chaired the local U.P. Community
Foundation. He enjoyed golfing, hunting and fishing, and loved spending time
with his family and friends at home and at the cottage on Thousand Island
Lakes. On Feb. 5, 1972, he was married to the former
Linda M. Kivi at St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Ironwood by the Rev. Jed
Patrick. They recently celebrated their 39th wedding anniversary. Linda
survives. Also surviving are two sons, Gregory (Arina),
Vadnais Heights, Minn., and Nathan (Sarah), Deerfield, Wis.; a grandson, Gabriel
Francis Paoli, born Feb. 19, 2011, to Greg and Arina; his sister, Barbara
(David) Patrick, Cibolo, Tx.; mother, Mary Paoli, Bradenton, Fla., and Ironwood;
sisters-and-brother-in-law, Denise Paoli and Judy and Don Holst, all of Ironwood
Township; very special aunts and uncles, Ralph and Mary Ann Paoli, Wausau, Wis.,
and Agnes Dahm and Marvin and Bette Musial, all of Manitowoc, Wis.; nieces and
nephews, Mark (Terri) Patrick, Austin, Tx., Emily (Joe) Johnson, Minneapolis,
Joe (Tammie) Paoli, Marinette, Wis., Nicholas Paoli, Calumet, Paul (Candace)
Holst, Ironwood, and Shelly (Tito) Santini, Hurley, Wis.; and numerous
grand-nieces, grand-nephews and cousins. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death
by his brother, Louis "Butch", on June 19, 2005. Out of respect for Fran's wishes, cremation
has taken place. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated
Monday, Feb. 28, at noon, at Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church in Ironwood, with
the Rev. Darryl J. Pepin, celebrant. Rite of Committal will take place in the St.
Joseph Family Room at the church, where full military honors will be accorded by
the Ironwood American Legion Post 5 Honor Guard. Luncheon will follow in the parish
hall. Spring burial will be in Sunset Acres
Cemetery, Ironwood Township. Relatives and friends may call in the St.
Joseph Family Room at the church from 10 a.m. until noon on Monday, where
members of Pere Menard Assembly No. 471, Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus, will
serve as honor guard. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed
to the Gogebic Community College Foundation, E4946 Jackson Road, Ironwood, Mich.
49938, for the Francis E. Paoli Business Scholarship to be established, or the
Our Lady of Peace Adopt-A-Student Program, 108 So. Marquette St., Ironwood,
Mich. 49938. To view Fran's obituary online, sign the
guestbook and express condolences, visit
mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are entrusted to McKevitt-Patrick
Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Ironwood. The family wishes to thank Aspirus Superior
Home Health and Hospice for their compassionate services.