Angelo Pasquale Blasi

Angelo Pasquale Blasi, 95, of Old Forge, died Friday night at his home surrounded by his wife and his loving family. His wife, the love of his life, is Jeanne Marie Riviello Blasi. They were married 74 years.

Born in Scranton, son of the late Joseph Blasi and Christina Marie Colizzo Blasi, he was a graduate of West Scranton High School. His parents lived on North Ninth Avenue in the Hyde Park section of town until he moved to Moosic and then to Old Forge. He served his country during WWII as a sailor on the destroyer escort the USS Davison, making many dangerous crossings of the Atlantic Ocean along with several voyages to North Africa carrying reinforcements and supplies to Allied forces. He initially worked as a painter for his father's company, West Side Painting & Decorating, before starting his own career. He then worked as a salesman of the Mid-Atlantic District for Kyanize Paints of Everett, Mass., for more than 30 years, selling to stores in a region of three states. He was repeatedly honored as "Salesman of the Year." After his retirement from Kyanize, he was appointed to the Board of Viewers of the Court of Common Pleas Lackawanna County, where he served for many years. In recent years, during his later retirement, he worked with Gleco Paints of Scranton as an adviser and consultant.

His true passion was politics. In the early part of his career, he was an active fundraiser and strategist for the Democratic Party and played a role in almost every election both in Scranton and Lackawanna County. He regularly served as finance chairman and a senior adviser for many local political campaigns and played a key role in the local fundraising for the successful presidential campaign of Jimmy Carter and the unsuccessful campaigns of former Pittsburgh Mayor Pete Flaherty for governor and U.S. senator.

Angelo will be remembered as a loving husband and a man who was dedicated to his family. He was known for his deep generosity to so many friends and acquaintances throughout the region. In addition to two documented rescues from a car accident and a terrible fire, he was always there for many friends throughout their lives. He had a real dedication to connecting with his relatives in the cities of Martina Franca and Locorotundo in the Province of Taranto, near Bari in the south, and he visited Italy more than 36 times. He loved fishing, hunting and playing cards with his friends and gatherings of his family and friends with plenty of good food.

He was known for his civic pride. Angelo and his wife, Jeanne, contributed their time to St. Joseph's Center for many years. He was appointed to the Governor's Commission on Fire Prevention and Control by Gov. Milton Shapp in 1975. He served on the Board of Directors of the Scranton State Hospital and he contributed a lot of his time as a member of the Board of Directors of St. Joseph's Center. He was also a member of the Victor Alfieri Club and the Columbus Club.

He was preceded in death by his brothers, Joseph "Junior" Blasi, Vito Blasi and Christopher Blasi. He is survived by his wife, Jeanne; his daughter, Christina Marie and her husband, Dr. L. Dwight Wooster; his son, Joseph and his wife, Nancy Bonus; and his grandson, Theodore. His close friend, Mike Palmetessa, was like a son to him and accompanied him on many trips to Italy. He deeply appreciated the support of the family caregiver, Rhonda Wright, over the last months.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Wednesday at 10 a.m. in St. Lucy's Church, 949 Scranton St., West Scranton. There is no viewing. Entombment will take place in Cathedral Cemetery in West Scranton. His family welcomes his relatives, friends, acquaintances and all of the people he has helped over his long and productive life to attend the funeral Mass.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the St. Joseph's Center Foundation, 2010 Adams Ave., Scranton 18509.

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