Joseph A. (Joe) Sparano, 70, a retired teacher and businessman who was active in New Castle community affairs, died Friday night, December 2, 2005 at Jameson Memorial Hospital.
He was born in Mahoningtown on January 29, 1935 and was the son of the late Francis A. and Fortunata Maurno Sparano. A 1954 graduate of New Castle High School, he served four years in the United States Navy and was a Korean War Veteran. He received a bachelor of science degree in Education from Youngstown University in 1962.
Mr. Sparano taught business courses at the Lawrence County Vocational and Technical School in the 1960's and 1970's and also was the owner of the former Francis Hotel on Croton Avenue and of a motorcycle dealership. He later was a manager of a poker room at a Las Vegas casino, and then owned and operated a pizza business and a country store in Florida.
In retirement he was a persistent advocate of the public interest, frequently attending City Council meetings to urge open sessions and raise issues on zoning and other matters affecting the city. Although he was unsuccessful in three campaigns for a seat on the Council, he considered it his civic duty to run.
He was widely known and respected in Mahoningtown, where his mother's family had settled in 1908, and was a familiar sight as he walked his dog regularly. His parents owned the Sparano Cafe in Mahoningtown, which they started in the Depression, and they opened the Francis Hotel in 1946.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Theresa Abramski, who died December 3, 2003. He leaves a sister, Philomena Jurey of Washington, D.C.; his brother-in-law Charles J. (Chuck) Abramski of New Castle, PA; three nieces, Marian Fiscus of Indiana, PA, Patricia Rumbaugh of Takoma, MD and Carolyn Vondrick of Holly Hill, FL; a nephew Charles J. Abramski III of West Newton, PA, four great-nieces and three great-nephews.
He was born in Mahoningtown on January 29, 1935 and was the son of the late Francis A. and Fortunata Maurno Sparano. A 1954 graduate of New Castle High School, he served four years in the United States Navy and was a Korean War Veteran. He received a bachelor of science degree in Education from Youngstown University in 1962.
Mr. Sparano taught business courses at the Lawrence County Vocational and Technical School in the 1960's and 1970's and also was the owner of the former Francis Hotel on Croton Avenue and of a motorcycle dealership. He later was a manager of a poker room at a Las Vegas casino, and then owned and operated a pizza business and a country store in Florida.
In retirement he was a persistent advocate of the public interest, frequently attending City Council meetings to urge open sessions and raise issues on zoning and other matters affecting the city. Although he was unsuccessful in three campaigns for a seat on the Council, he considered it his civic duty to run.
He was widely known and respected in Mahoningtown, where his mother's family had settled in 1908, and was a familiar sight as he walked his dog regularly. His parents owned the Sparano Cafe in Mahoningtown, which they started in the Depression, and they opened the Francis Hotel in 1946.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Theresa Abramski, who died December 3, 2003. He leaves a sister, Philomena Jurey of Washington, D.C.; his brother-in-law Charles J. (Chuck) Abramski of New Castle, PA; three nieces, Marian Fiscus of Indiana, PA, Patricia Rumbaugh of Takoma, MD and Carolyn Vondrick of Holly Hill, FL; a nephew Charles J. Abramski III of West Newton, PA, four great-nieces and three great-nephews.
Joseph A. (Joe) Sparano, 70, a retired teacher and businessman who was active in New Castle community affairs, died Friday night, December 2, 2005 at Jameson Memorial Hospital.
He was born in Mahoningtown on January 29, 1935 and was the son of the late Francis A. and Fortunata Maurno Sparano. A 1954 graduate of New Castle High School, he served four years in the United States Navy and was a Korean War Veteran. He received a bachelor of science degree in Education from Youngstown University in 1962.
Mr. Sparano taught business courses at the Lawrence County Vocational and Technical School in the 1960's and 1970's and also was the owner of the former Francis Hotel on Croton Avenue and of a motorcycle dealership. He later was a manager of a poker room at a Las Vegas casino, and then owned and operated a pizza business and a country store in Florida.
In retirement he was a persistent advocate of the public interest, frequently attending City Council meetings to urge open sessions and raise issues on zoning and other matters affecting the city. Although he was unsuccessful in three campaigns for a seat on the Council, he considered it his civic duty to run.
He was widely known and respected in Mahoningtown, where his mother's family had settled in 1908, and was a familiar sight as he walked his dog regularly. His parents owned the Sparano Cafe in Mahoningtown, which they started in the Depression, and they opened the Francis Hotel in 1946.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Theresa Abramski, who died December 3, 2003. He leaves a sister, Philomena Jurey of Washington, D.C.; his brother-in-law Charles J. (Chuck) Abramski of New Castle, PA; three nieces, Marian Fiscus of Indiana, PA, Patricia Rumbaugh of Takoma, MD and Carolyn Vondrick of Holly Hill, FL; a nephew Charles J. Abramski III of West Newton, PA, four great-nieces and three great-nephews.
He was born in Mahoningtown on January 29, 1935 and was the son of the late Francis A. and Fortunata Maurno Sparano. A 1954 graduate of New Castle High School, he served four years in the United States Navy and was a Korean War Veteran. He received a bachelor of science degree in Education from Youngstown University in 1962.
Mr. Sparano taught business courses at the Lawrence County Vocational and Technical School in the 1960's and 1970's and also was the owner of the former Francis Hotel on Croton Avenue and of a motorcycle dealership. He later was a manager of a poker room at a Las Vegas casino, and then owned and operated a pizza business and a country store in Florida.
In retirement he was a persistent advocate of the public interest, frequently attending City Council meetings to urge open sessions and raise issues on zoning and other matters affecting the city. Although he was unsuccessful in three campaigns for a seat on the Council, he considered it his civic duty to run.
He was widely known and respected in Mahoningtown, where his mother's family had settled in 1908, and was a familiar sight as he walked his dog regularly. His parents owned the Sparano Cafe in Mahoningtown, which they started in the Depression, and they opened the Francis Hotel in 1946.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Theresa Abramski, who died December 3, 2003. He leaves a sister, Philomena Jurey of Washington, D.C.; his brother-in-law Charles J. (Chuck) Abramski of New Castle, PA; three nieces, Marian Fiscus of Indiana, PA, Patricia Rumbaugh of Takoma, MD and Carolyn Vondrick of Holly Hill, FL; a nephew Charles J. Abramski III of West Newton, PA, four great-nieces and three great-nephews.
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