Gaetan Patella

Gaetan (Bill) Patella

Gaetan (Bill) Patella, passed away peacefully on July 8, at the age of 91. The son of Lena and Lawrence Patella, Dad was born in the Bronx and grew up in Harrison, New York. In high school he was active in sports and student government. There he met the love of his life, Mary Bisceglia. After high school, Dad enlisted in the Air Force and was assigned to the 58th fighter squadron in Burma during World War II, where he attained the rank of staff sergeant and served proudly from 1941 to 1945. He and Mom married in 1947 and moved to Seattle, where he worked for Homelite selling chain saws, pumps, and generators, eventually managing his own store. After retiring, he was a beloved volunteer bus aide for disabled children in the Shoreline School District. Even though New York was home, Dad loved the Pacific Northwest. He loved the mountains, forests, and water. "Sunday rides" were a joyful part of our upbringing. A child of the Depression, Dad knew how to live on little, but there was always enough for anything we needed. He loved music and raised us with the sounds of Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, Glenn Miller, and others. He and Mom were great dancers, travelers, and fans of Husky Football. Dad loved raising roses, and his pink, long-stemmed beauties became a regular sight on Mom's desk at work. He was affable, witty, and he loved meeting people. A hardworking, salt-of-the-earth man, Dad loved his family and his Italian heritage. He loved to regale us with wisdom from the "School of Hard Knocks." He lived a long, full, and blessed life, and we were blessed to know him. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Lawrence, sister Rose, and wife Mary. He is survived by his sister Mary Stuart; his children John Patella (Teresa), Sue Patella, and Nanette Craft (Jerry); eight grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and numerous devoted nieces and nephews. A funeral mass will be held on Friday, July 17, at 10 AM, in the chapel of St. James Cathedral, 804 Ninth Avenue, Seattle. Donations in his name may be made to Evergreen Hospice at www.evergreenhospital.org/hospice.