Obituary

Remo Puricelli
(January 11, 120 - June 23, 2017)

REMO PURICELLI, RETIRED NAVY COMMANDER of Fort Myers, Fla., Huntington, W.Va., Iola, Wis., and Hillside, Ill., passed away on June 19, 2017, at the age of 97 years. He was born in Barre, Vt., on January 11, 1920, to Angelo and Virginia Puricelli. In addition to his parents, Remo was preceded in death by his loving wife, Patricia Leckie Puricelli, to whom he was married for 57 years until her death in 2003; a sister, Louise MacDonald; and a brother, Rinaldo Puricelli. Remo graduated from Spaulding High School in 1937. He applied and received an appointment to the Merchant Marine Academy in Kingspoint, N.Y., and graduated with a degree in engineering in 1942. He was commissioned in the U.S. Navy in December, 1942, as an ensign and served his country in the Pacific during World War II on the U.S.S. Triangulum and the U.S.S. Richland, transporting troops and ammunition throughout the Philippine Islands and preparing for the invasion of Japan. During his service, he was awarded the following medals for leadership and bravery including: Outstanding Engine Merchant Marine Cadet Corps, Merchant Marine Defense Medal, Merchant Marine Atlantic War Zone Medal, Naval American Defense Medal, Atlantic War Zone Medal, Pacific War Zone Medal. After the war, he returned and married Patricia Leckie and settled in Chicago, Ill. He remained in the U.S. Navy Reserve and went on active duty almost every year spending time on various ships, including the aircraft carriers, the U.S.S. Okinawa, the U.S.S. Enterprise and the U.S.S. Coral Seas. He received various promotions and became a Commander in the Navy in 1959. In addition to his Navy Reserve duties, he had an impressive engineering career beginning in 1950 with the U.S. Government at Argonne National Laboratory, our nation’s first national laboratory. Argonne is a science and engineering research facility operated by the Department of Energy and the University of Chicago. Through his hard work and leadership he was eventually promoted to Senior Plant Engineer, a role which managed over 600 employees. He was also the Chairman of the First Naval Research Reserve Seminar on Nuclear Research in Life and Physical Sciences held at Argonne for which he received a letter of commendation from Admiral Leyton, Chief of Naval Research. Remo retired from Argonne after 30 years of service and retired from the U.S. Navy Reserve in 1980. Remo was very active in his community in Hillside, Ill., as Lions Club president, school board president, and supporter of numerous charities. He belonged to the Catholic Church and was a man of faith. He was a big supporter of all his children and grandchildren's activities. Remo and Patricia always stressed the importance of education. In his retirement years, he and Patricia enjoyed traveling all over the world, golfing, gardening, hunting, fishing and attending their grandchildren’s sporting events. He was a great fan of the Boston Red Sox, Boston Bruins and the New England Patriots. Remo is survived by four daughters, Joan Piekarski (Robert), Virginia Lindvig (Keith) Mary Masonick (Greg) and Margaret (Moppy) Lavery, former son-in-law (Bill), grandchildren Tiffany Berkey, David Patti, Michael Patti, Julie Pichardo, Lauren Lindvig (step), Chris Powell, Carrie Ory, Gina Sandora, Amy Ocampo, Chris Masonick (step), Patrick Lavery, Erin Walsh and Shannon Lavery. He was a loving great grandfather to 23 great-grandchildren. He leaves behind six nieces and a nephew, Nancy Crockford, Carrie Walgurski, Mary Jane Houghton, John Puricelli, Carol Parker, Claire Owens, and Cathy Taylor; very special friends Jeannie Johnson, Mike and Mary Divine of Iola and a very special neighbor, Dr. Elaine Young of Huntington. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Hospice of Huntington or Little Victories. Friends may call from 4 to 5 p.m. Friday, June 23, 2017, at Klingel-Carpenter Mortuary, Huntington. Interment will be in Mount Carmel Cemetery, Hillside, Ill. Funeral service will be 5 p.m. Friday, June 23, 2017, at Klingel-Carpenter Mortuary, by Father Dean Borgmeyer.