Obituary of Angelo Iuliano

Angelo A. Iuliano was known as "Mike" to all his friends. Following a short illness, Mike passed into the loving arms of Jesus Friday night, Sept. 14, 2012. Mike was born July 12, 1915, in Cleveland, Ohio. He exemplified what it means to be part of the "Greatest Generation," growing up poor in Akron, Ohio, during the deprivation of the Great Depression, marrying and then volunteering to fight in World War II. Mike was a wonderful storyteller, and he enjoyed sharing many personal stories with his children about his life growing up during the Great Depression. Mike graduated from North High School in Akron, Ohio, while working hard as a young boy to help his family during the depression. All of his life, he loved sports, especially football. He played football in high school and was offered college football scholarships, which he had to give up in order to help his family financially. He then went to work for the E.F. Hauserman Co., where he worked his way up the career ladder until his retirement at 70 years old. He married the love of his life, his wife, Marie (Oddo), in 1938, when he was 23 years old. In December 1941, with the attack on Pearl Harbor and the U.S. entrance into the war, Mike enlisted in the Fighting Seabees, whose motto is "We build, we fight," leaving his wife and two small children in Cleveland, Ohio. Mike's Seabees unit was sent to the south Pacific, landing soon fter the Marines, where they built major airstrips, bridges, roads, warehouses, hospitals, gasoline storage tanks and housing. He made lifelong friends while in the military, and loved telling his children "old war stories" about his experiences. In 1948, Mike moved his wife and five children to Glenville, N.Y., where he spent the rest of his life. Following the move, every spring he planted his annual vegetable garden, which gave him much pleasure. For many years, Mike and his wife, Marie, shared countless fond memories as members of the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Teachers' Bowling League. Mike was a communicant of the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Glenville and frequently played golf with the Rev. Thomas Connery, who was pastor at that time. After his retirement, Mike belonged to three golf clubs. He loved golfing with his buddies. His other passion was going to the flat track at Saratoga every single day of the "meet," standing out as one of the most dapper and fashionably dressed gentlemen in the Clubhouse. It was not unusual to see his "at the track" picture on a local newspaper's sports page. He loved thoroughbred horse racing, and at "the track," he was always surrounded by his buddies who loved the sport as much as he did. Mike was preceded in death by his wife, Marie Oddo; his daughter, Carol Jean Goodell (Ron); his loving mother, Josephine and parents Justine Biagio; his sisters, Mary Oddo and Beatrice Pucci; and his brothers, Dante and Salvatore. He leaves behind his youngest sister, Lucille Gingo; his sister-in-law, Lucia Iuliano (Sal); and best friend, Mildred Gordon of Glenville; He also leaves behind four of his five children, daughter JoAnn Iuliano Masterson (Tom) of Glenville; son Blase P. Iuliano (Barbara) of Burnt Hills; son Joseph C. Iuliano (Susan) of Gansevoort; and Deborah M. Iuliano of Ballston Spa; in addition to his 12 loving grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2012, at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, 400 Saratoga Road, Glenville. The Glenville Funeral Home on 9 Glenridge Road is handling the arrangements. Prior to the Mass, there will be a one-hour viewing from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. There will be no other calling hours. Following the funeral Mass, burial will be at St. Anthony's Cemetery on Glenridge Road in Glenville. Mike was a genuine lover of animals and compassionate of the poor or downtrodden. In lieu of flowers, a charitable donation may be made in Mike's named to H.O.P.E. Animal Rescue, P.O. Box 2497, Wilton, NY 12831, (518) 428-2994 or info@HopeAnimalRescue.org; or to the City Mission of Schenectady, P.O. Box 760, Schenectady, NY 12301, (518) 346-2275 or www.citymission.com/donate.