Harold Peter Pellini

1919 - 2017

HAROLD PETER PELLINI was born in Santa Rosa, California on November 19, 1919 to Angelo and Sadie Pellini.  He began his education at Lincoln School in Santa Rosa until the family moved to Sebastopol.  He attended Sebastopol Grammar School and graduated from Analy High School in 1937.  During his senior year at Analy, as a member of the band, he was part of the parade that opened the Golden Gate Bridge.

In 1932 his father, Angelo, took over the Chevrolet dealership in Sebastopol.   Harold worked at Pellini Chevrolet after school and on Saturdays while attending school.  After graduating, he worked full time becoming the dealer in 1950 until selling the business to his son, Pete, in 1984.  He continued to come to the dealership daily until its closing in 2009 after 77 years in business.

Harold met his wife, Millie, when she walked by the dealership on her way to work.  They married on October 12, 1941 and shared 66 years of marriage before her passing in 2008.  Less than two months after their marriage, Pearl Harbor was attacked.  He entered the Army and was sent to the Aleutian Islands where he spent 32 months protecting our country.  Honorably discharged in 1945, he returned to Sebastopol and soon after the first of his three children was born.

Harold was very active in the community he loved.  He was a member of the 20/30 club until aging out.  He then joined the Sebastopol Rotary Club in 1960 where he served as vice president and worked on too many projects and fundraisers to list.  He was proud to be Sebastopol Rotary badge number one for many years until his passing.   Harold sponsored numerous youth sports teams, particularly the Sebastopol Little League Dodgers from 1957 to 2009.  He donated generously to local non-profits, clubs, fundraisers and schools.  Many Analy and El Molino High School students learned to drive or repair cars donated by Pellini Chevrolet.   Harold was honored for his contributions to the community as Sebastopol Citizen of the Year in 1984.

Harold so loved his “Chevy’s” that he assembled an amazing collection of Chevrolet cars dating from 1923 through 1976.  He generously donated the use of the antique cars for many parades and locally filmed movies.  He belonged to the Vintage Chevrolet Club of America and the Horseless Carriage Club.  He and Millie participated in numerous old car tours.   Harold and Millie belonged to La Gaiety Dance Club.  They also traveled extensively thru out the United States, Europe, Asia and Australia.

Harold passed peacefully on January 5, 2017 after a brief illness.  He was preceded in death by his loving wife Millie, father Angelo, mother Sadie, sister Dorothy and granddaughter Lindsey Fiddler.  He will be deeply missed by his son, Pete (Pauline) Pellini and daughters Carole (Dan) Weeks and Nancy (Roger) Fiddler.   He was the beloved grandfather of Melinda (Jon) Raade, Angela (Kevin) Knight, Michael (Jennifer) Pellini, Melanie McGraw, and Zachery (Melissa) Fiddler.   He was the adored great, grandfather of Cole McGraw, Talon McGraw, Wyatt Knudson, Sophia Pellini, Jaden Fiddler, Elliana Pellini and Levi Fiddler.

Family and Friends are invited to a funeral mass at St. Sebastian’s Catholic Church, 7983 Covert Lane, Sebastopol on January 17, 2017 at 10:30 am.  Reception to follow.  Private entombment.  In lieu of flowers the family would prefer donations in his memory to the Sebastopol Rotary Education Foundation, P.O Box 213, Sebastopol, CA 95473, the Sebastopol Senior Center, 167 N. High St., Sebastopol, CA 95472 or the charity of your choice.