Aldo R. Gavazzi, 86, of Elk Haven Nursing Home in St. Marys and formerly of Old Kane Road in Wilcox, died Friday morning, Oct. 31, 2014 at Elk Haven following a lengthy illness.

He was born Oct. 5, 1928 in Byrnedale, son of the late Armondo and Bena Parisi Gavazzi.

He married Patricia L. Halquist on Nov. 13, 1954 in Nazareth Lutheran Church in Wilcox. She died April 18, 2014.

Mr. Gavazzi resided in St. Marys for the past three years. He lived in Wilcox most of his life having moved there after his marriage in 1954. He attended school in Byrnedale.

He was a member of the Nazareth Lutheran Church in Wilcox, the Wilcox Sportsmen's Club and Wilcox American Legion. He was an avid outdoorsman who loved to hunt and fish.

Mr. Gavazzi was a Korean War era Army veteran serving in the Philippines as a Corporal with Company B of the 1902nd Engineers Aviation Battalion.

He was employed by Airco Carbon Graphite of St. Marys for 25 years, retiring in 1990. He had also worked for Halquist Brothers Logging for several years as well as the Wilcox Tannery in Wilcox for several years.

He is survived by one son, Ricky L. Gavazzi and his wife Gail of St. Marys; one daughter, Joyce A., Mrs. Harry Bortmes of Evans City; three grandchildren, Eric Gavazzi and his wife Heidi of Indiana, Pa., Chelsea, Mrs. Corey Bonfardin of Force, and Cory Bortmes and his wife Tina of Renfrew.

Mr. Gavazzi is also survived by one great-grandchild, Bentley Gavazzi; one sister, Anita, Mrs. Richard Luzier of Ridgway; and one brother, LaRue "Harry" Gavazzi and his wife Cathy of Byrnedale.
He was preceded in death by his parents and wife.

A funeral service for Aldo R. Gavazzi will be conducted at the Anthony F. Ferragine Funeral Home, 401 Chestnut St., Johnsonburg, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2014 at 11 a.m.
Officiating will be Pastor Stephen Fair of St. John's Lutheran Church in Johnsonburg. Interment will take place at Parklawn Memorial Gardens in Ridgway.
Friends will be received at the Anthony F. Ferragine Funeral Home on Monday from 9 a.m. until service time at 11 a.m.
Military honors will be accorded by the Johnsonburg-Wilcox Servicemen's Detail. Detail members are asked to assemble at the funeral home Monday at 10:30 a.m.

If desired, memorial contributions should be made to Community Nurses, Inc., Adult Day Care Program, 757 Johnsonburg Rd., St. Marys, Pa. 15857 or to Nazareth Lutheran Church in Wilcox.