Joe Panella served as ICC President when organization broke ground for its current facility from page 1 Panella was actively involved in other Italian organizations and community activities. He was a member of the National Italian Invitational Golf Tournament for Charities and served as chairman of this charitable organization’s annual golf outing in 1973. He was a member of the Milwaukee Chapter UNICO National and the Pompeii Men’s Club. He held leadership roles in the St. Rita of Cascia Catholic Church Home and School Association. “I asked Joe to be the chairman of the golf outing the year that I was president of the tournament (1973) because I knew Joe would get the job done right,” said Anthony T. Machi, a longtime friend and the first president of the ICC (1978-80). “That was the year we honored Frank Sinatra and Joe did a tremendous job.” Panella’s extensive involvement in the St. Rita’s Home and School Association included assisting the school to achieve its fundraising objectives. “He helped the nuns get their first vehicle,” said his daughter Mary Ann Panella-Best. He became involved in the Milwaukee Chapter UNICO National and the Pompeii Men’s Club through his brother, Louis, said Panella-Best. The late Louis Panella was a longtime active
Joe Panella is seen here wearing his Festa Italiana shirt in a photo taken by the late Dr. Edward Leone, who was a longtime friend of Joe and his wife.
member of the Milwaukee Chapter UNICO National and served as the civic organization’s president a total of six years. Born on January 3, 1923, Joe was youngest of the five Panella children. His parents were Nick and Carmella (Sasso) Panella. Joe’s
father was an immigrant from the Puglia region of Italy. His mother was born in Marblehead, Wisconsin. The Panella family lived on Humboldt Avenue. Joe graduated from Lincoln High School in 1941. During World War II, Panella proudly served his country in the United States Army Anti-Tank Company 343rd Infantry 84th Division (Blackhawk Division) in Central Europe. He participated in extensive combat duty in Germany and Austria, Panella-Best said Joe and his late wife, Ann (Monfre) got married while Joe was on a three-day furlough from the Army, Panella-Best said. The couple celebrated 68 anniversaries before Ann’s death on Feb. 6, 2012. Panella-Best said her father was employed in sales for most of his life, from working at a small local grocery store when he was still a teen to selling wine, on a part time basis, for a local distributor when he was in his 80s. Joe was employed for over 40 years by Wisconsin Liquor Company and became the Executive Vice President. As a result of his occupation, “everyone came to Joe when they needed a donation of wine for their event,” Machi said. “And Joe always came through. He was a kind and generous man with a great big heart.” In recent years, Joe became a
regular among a group of elderly ICC members who meet every Wednesday afternoon to have lunch at Cafe La Scala. “Joe had a great sense of humor. We’re going to miss him a lot,” said Joseph Mangiamele, a retired University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Professor. Joe and Ann’s only child was Mary Ann, who was La Principessa (The Princess) of Il Grande Carnevale, the ICC’s pre-Lenten costume ball in 1985. Besides his daughter Mary Ann and her husband, Scott Best, Joe was the grandfather to Annie (Dennis) Post and Nina Best and greatgrandfather of Joseph Scott Post. He is also survived by nieces, nephews and many friends. Joe was preceded in death by his siblings Louis, Mary, Tony and Mayme.
And now, a word from Italy by Blaise Di Pronio Divestment: The sale or other disposal of some kind of asset. It is derived from the Italian phrase of di vestire which actually means to get naked or take off one’s clothes at which point you will be exposing rather than disposing an asset.
Admission deals during the three days of Festa Italiana, July 21-23 from page 2 deadline for ordering mail order tickets is Friday, July 7. During the three days of the festival, gate admission will be $13. EVERYDAY OFFER Free children’s admission Children, 12 and younger, are admitted for free all three days when accompanied by an adult. FRIDAY OFFERS Sendik’s Red Bag Promotion All persons arriving on Friday, July 21 from 3 to 6 p.m. presenting a Sendik’s red shopping bag will receive one free admission ticket. Come to the Mid Gate and enter at the designated Sendik’s admission area with your bag. Red bags will be collected upon entrance to the grounds. Find your neighborhood Sendik’s Market location at sendiks.com. SATURDAY DEALS Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation Walk/Run Participants in the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation Walk/Run on the morning of Saturday, July 22 will receive free admission to Festa Italiana with an identifying wristband. Festa opens at 11:30 a.m. The activities for the walk/run start at 7 a.m. with registration at the North Gate. Guest passes will be available from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. for $5. Post walk/run festivities will take place at the Festa Stage from 11 a.m. to noon. VIP Day Since 1981, Festa Italiana has been presenting a VIP Day for persons with physical and mental challenges. Each year, Festa offers the
VIPs and a caregiver free admission. The tradition continues at the 2017 festival. Special VIP Day tickets are necessary to be admitted. Contact the Italian Community Center at 414-223-2805 for details. This year’s program runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is being held for the first time on Saturday. Festa’s food vendors also have a special promotion going on during the three hours of VIP Day. Each vendor will have two selected items available at half price. VIP Day ticket holders can also receive a piece of fresh fruit donated by Milwaukee area produce merchants. The free fruit will be available from the Catalano’s fruit stand in the Miller Lite area from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. only. Sendik’s Red Bag promotion Between noon and 5 p.m., Saturday, July 22, persons presenting a Sendik’s red shopping bag will receive one free admission ticket. Come to the Mid Gate and enter at the designated Sendik’s admission area with your bag. Red bags will be collected upon entrance to the grounds. Find your neighborhood Sendik’s Market location at sendiks.com. SUNDAY OFFERS Worship and Festa For the 40th straight year, Festa welcomes all to attend the Sunday Mass for free. Persons will be able to enter at the South Gate starting at 10:15 a.m. The Mass begins at 11 a.m. in the Marcus Amphitheater. Whether you are attending Mass or waiting outside the amphitheater in the forecourt, you may enter the Festa grounds for free. The admission gates to the
THE ITALIAN TIMES
grounds will be opened at 1 p.m. Everyone entering at the South Gate is asked to bring along nonperishable food items for a collection Festa is organizing in conjunction with the Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee. The food collection will take place outside the amphitheater and in the amphitheater forecourt. This year’s goal is to collect 10,000 pounds of food. Festa is joining all of the lakefront festivals in a food collection effort which has a goal of collecting 160,000 pounds of food by the end of summer. By bringing at least three non-perishable food items to Festa, this goal can be achieved. Day of service To honor the service of law en-
forcement, firefighters, teachers and military personnel, Festa Italiana is offering free admission for the individual of service and one guest on Sunday, July 23. To receive your free entry, present a valid employee ID at the cashier window at the Mid Gate. Military personnel – past and present In recognition of the dedicated service of all of our military personnel, active and retired, Festa Italiana invites them and their guest to receive free entry on Sunday, July 23. Present a valid military ID or a DD-214 (certificate of release or discharge from active duty) with a valid ID at the cashier window at the Mid Gate. Festa Italiana thanks you for your service!
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