Albert Pontarolo

Albert Pontarolo passed away on July 21, 2014, at home, surrounded by his family. Albert was born the son of Joseph and Italia (Moro) Pontarolo on June 1, 1922, in Pasco. He graduated from Kennewick High School in 1941. Upon graduation, he worked for the Northern Pacific Railroad as a fireman until he enlisted in the United States Navy in November of the same year.

Following his training in San Diego, he was stationed at Midway Island and thereafter to Guam until returning to the U.S. after receiving an honorable discharge in 1945. He returned to Pasco and resumed working for the Northern Pacific.

In 1946, he was introduced to Alice Mary Fazzari by his cousin Bill Pontarolo and on Aug. 11, 1946, Albert married Alice in Walla Walla. The couple raised five children: two sons and three daughters. In 1948, Albert joined his brother-in-law, Arthur Fazzari, in managing the McFeely Tavern in Walla Walla until 1969 when he returned to railroading, working as an engineer for the then-Burlington Northern Railway until his retirement in 1987.

Albert loved the mountains and elk hunting with his best friends, Harold Nibler and Donald Sprague. In his later years, he bought a fishing boat and fished with his hunting partners, Harold and Frank Hamada, whenever he could. He was also mechanically inclined and enjoyed building and remodeling. From a torn-down fruit stand and barn on the old home property, he built a house for his mother where she lived for 20 years and outbuildings are still in use today. In 1987, he became a volunteer for St. Vincent de Paul, where he could tinker, repairing donated items, to his heart’s content until 2004, when he suffered a debilitating stroke. The stroke curtailed his retirement adventures of elk hunting and fishing and the many projects he started, but like his mother he was an avid reader and history buff and enjoyed the History and Discovery channels. But most of all he loved visits by his children and his grandchildren and great grandchildren. There was a special twinkle in his eye when they arrived and a tear when they departed.

A lifetime member of St. Francis Catholic Church, Albert was preceded in death by his parents and his brother-in-law, Bill Kraus. He is survived by his wife of nearly 68 years, Alice, at the family home; his brother, Frank (Margaret), and sister, Mary Kraus, both of Pasco; and his sons, Michael Pontarolo (Betty) of Spokane, Steve Pontarolo (Regina) of Quincy; and daughters, Mary Pontarolo (Nancy) of Olympia, Julie Moramarco (Peter) of Aberdeen and Sandy Skurski (Jerry) of College Place; nine grandchildren, Christie Kovarik, Amy Pontarolo, Nick Pontarolo, Angela Pontarolo, Christopher Pontarolo-Maag, Katherine Pontarolo-Maag, Maia Pontarolo-Reid, Amanda Skurski and Alison Skurski; three great-grandchildren, Teddy and Louie Kovarik and June Pontarolo Sacco and several nieces and nephews.

Viewing and visitation will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2014, from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the Herring Groseclose Funeral Home, 315 W. Alder, Walla Walla. Rosary to be held at 7 p.m. The funeral service will be held at 10 a.m., Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2014, at St. Francis Catholic Church, 722 W. Alder, Walla Walla. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials may be made to St. Francis Catholic Church, St. Vincent de Paul Society or Providence St. Mary Regional Cancer Center through the funeral home.