LARRY DAVID ZULIANELLO

LARRY DAVID ZULIANELLO
It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Larry David Zulianello on July 6, 2025.

Larry was born in Fort William on April 29, 1951 at McKellar General Hospital to parents Danilo and Margaret. He grew up in the East End playing sports with his friends in the neighbourhood. He attended St. Patrick High School where he starred in multiple sports. After high school, he attended Lakehead University and played hockey for the Norwesters becoming the leading scorer in program history.

In 1973 Larry married Charlotte and they began their life together. He and Charlotte had and raised three children Derek, Colin and Kaley. They lived in Northwood and later moved into the home that they designed and had built on Natasha Court.

Larry was a superb athlete. Whether it was playing baseball, playing football, running track or especially playing hockey, Larry excelled. After his university hockey career concluded, he played hockey professionally in Belgium. His love of sport and competition was always a driving force in his life. He continued playing hockey several times a week still scoring goals and terrorizing goaltenders well into his 70s.

Larry was a dedicated coach. It is impossible to count the hours that he spent coaching his children and grandchildren in hockey and baseball. He was always respected by his players for the fatherly way in which he cared for each of them. He took pride in coaching them to always compete as hard as they could, to play the right way and to practice the way they intended to play. The lessons that he taught live on in all of those lucky enough to have been part of one of his teams.

Larry was a devoted husband. He and Charlotte were high school sweethearts. They were married for nearly 52 years and, as soulmates, did everything together. Their marriage is an example of love, patience and kindness.

Larry was a supportive father. He was always there to plan an adventure or to encourage his children through their sports, activities, educations and careers. He taught them everything he knew. The best way to say it is that he was a best friend to Derek, Colin and Kaley. His love for his children endures.

Larry was a doting grandfather. He was an active participant and proud fan of all of his grandchildren in everything that they did. He laughed with them, he played sports with them, he boasted about them to all of his friends. He loved them all so much.

Larry retired from Bombardier in 2017. He and Charlotte then embarked on the next stage of their life together travelling to Italy, taking beach vacations to Punta Cana several times, visiting Colin and Lindsay and their children in California and spending more time watching Nick, Olivia and Wyatt's activities as well as babysitting all six of them.

In the last years of his life Larry battled cancer, ultimately making the brave choice to undergo a bone marrow transplant in Ottawa in the fall of 2024 which extended his life and allowed him to spend more time with his family. He faced all of the challenges of his illness with courage and a positive outlook. He was always calm in the face of setbacks and always hopeful that he would overcome them. His steadfast faith and willingness to fight were always evident. The family is grateful and thanks the many doctors, nurses and other professionals both in Thunder Bay and in Ottawa who assisted Larry over the past several years particularly Dr. Laferriere and his Bone Marrow Transplant team in Ottawa, especially Dr. Hodgins.

Left behind to remember Larry with love are his wife Charlotte; his children Derek (Lindsey), Colin (Lindsay) and Kaley (Jesse Rojik); grandchildren Nick and Olivia Rojik, Wyatt, Sawyer, Findley and Oliver Zulianello; his brother and sister-in-law Alan and Paulette; sisters-in-law Carmel Sajna, Dolores Cooper and Pat Vescio; nieces and nephews. Larry is now reunited with his parents Danilo and Margaret and his mother and father-in-law Frances and Ed Vescio.

Funeral services for Larry will be held on Wednesday, July 16, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. when family and friends will gather for the funeral mass at St. Agnes Church, 1019 Brown Street. In lieu of flowers, donations in Larry's memory may be made to Regional Cancer Care Northwest or to the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame.

On-line Condolences may be sent to www.blakefuneralchapel.com