Angelo F. Falconi

Angelo F. Falconi, 91, a lifelong resident of the Washington County area, who took great pride in calling Southwestern Pennsylvania his home, passed away Friday, November 6, 2015, in Donnell House, Washington.
Upon receiving one of the many awards bestowed upon him during his lifetime, Mr. Falconi said, "I'm proud to acknowledge that my parents, Elena and Cesare, came to the United States, through Ellis Island, in 1923, from the small town of Valcadara, Italy. I learned important lessons from my parents and my uncle, Dominick. They brought with them from Italy a commitment to hard work and the recognition of the importance of family and community. I have tried to apply the lessons I learned." His life's journey took him across the country and around the world. He touched the lives of countless people.
He was born February 19, 1924, in Lawrence, near Canonsburg.
During his youth, Mr. Falconi attended school in Canonsburg. He also attended Staunton Military Academy in Staunton, Va., but he was primarily self-taught.
He embodied the true entrepreneurial spirit. He loved to make "deals." He was a charismatic businessman who was willing to take risks when people suggested otherwise. This spirit first came to light when he and a childhood friend decided to start a business at the age of 6 by waxing a schoolteacher's car. Unfortunately for the schoolteacher, all that the industrious duo had available was axle grease. Fortunately, Mr. Falconi's father came to his rescue and the entrepreneurial fire had been ignited. He never let adversity hold him back.
In 1937, as a teenager, Mr. Falconi started his first used car dealership in Canonsburg, and so his love affair with the automobile industry began. In the early 1940s, he became one of the youngest Ford dealers in the United States.
Shortly after receiving his approval as a Ford dealer, he was drafted into the U.S. Army Air Force and proudly remained on active duty until the end of World War II. At the conclusion of World War II, he returned to Canonsburg and operated his Ford dealership into the 1960s.
Mr. Falconi made many trips to Dearborn, Mich., where he was a guest at Henry Ford's home. In the 1960s, to great surprise, he sold the Ford dealership to invest in Toyota, a car mostly unknown in the United States and ill-suited for our climate. He had a vision that few shared. It was a recurring story.
Over the years, he has owned automobile dealerships in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Florida, Nevada, Arizona and California, representing various manufacturers. He was a pioneer in recognizing the impact of foreign automobiles and motorcycles in the U.S. market.
Throughout Mr. Falconi's 70-year history in the automotive industry, he was a dealer of almost every make of vehicle and motorcycle, including Edsel, Ford, Toyota, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Subaru, Mercedes Benz, Chevrolet, Nissan, Acura, Hyundai, Oldsmobile, Cadillac, Mazda, Dodge, Chrysler, Plymouth and Jeep.
He was involved in many other business ventures, including the development of the Washington Mall, Oak Springs Center, Mac Plastics, Falcon Plastics, Corporate Air, Canonsburg Pottery and Sharon Metal Products. He was also involved in real estate developments for commercial, industrial and residential use in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Florida, Nevada, California, Arizona and Ohio.
The Falconi-related ventures have employed more than 1,000 people throughout the nation, with approximately 700 of them working in Southwestern Pennsylvania.
Mr. Falconi and his family have been supporters of many organizations throughout the area, including Washington Area Humane Society, Canonsburg Hospital, St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Canonsburg, youth athletics, Washington & Jefferson College, Washington County Community Foundation and Falconi Field, the home of the Washington Wild Things. He also supported the University of Pittsburgh.
He was also very proud of his involvement with the Pittsburgh Penguins. When Mario Lemieux contacted Mr. Falconi and said he was putting together a group to buy the Penguins and keep them in Pittsburgh, Mr. Falconi once again answered the call. He was proud to call Mario Lemieux his friend and that the team has remained a Pittsburgh landmark.
Mr. Falconi was a leader in the community. He touched the lives of thousands of people in a positive way.
Surviving are a son, Angelo M. Falconi (Angie), and a number of nieces and nephews.
Deceased are his first wife, Alice Svitek; his second wife, Paula Garcia; and four sisters, his twin sister, Melinda Borrelli, and Antonina Horwath, Elena Morascyzk and Rita Skittle.
Friends will be received from 2 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday in Mario L. DeAngelo Funeral Home, 194 East College Street, Canonsburg, where departing prayers will be held at 9:15 a.m. Thursday, November 12. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 10 a.m. in St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church, 317 West Pike Street, Canonsburg. Interment will follow in St. Patrick Cemetery, Canonsburg.
In lieu of flowers, Mr. Falconi requested that donations be made to Washington Area Humane Society, P.O. Box 66, Eighty Four, PA 15330, Washington County Community Foundation, P.O. Box 308, Eighty Four, PA 15330, or to Hospice Care of Washington Hospital for Donnell House, 155 Wilson Avenue, Washington, PA 15301.
A guest book is available at www.deangelocare.com.