Honoring the Life of Pasquale DiTerlizzi

Floor Speech

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Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and legacy of Pasquale DiTerlizzi. Mr. DiTerlizzi succumbed to the coronavirus on December 8, 2020 after fighting as hard as he could for two weeks. As he slipped into twilight his family was able to surround him. He passed from this life on the holy day of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, fitting for a Catholic man who humbly revered the Virgin Mary.

The only son in an Italian immigrant family, Pasquale DiTerlizzi became a fixture and a legend in his shoe shop's neighborhood of West Toledo, his St. Anthony's Church family and the farm community of Temperance, Michigan.

Born the third child of Mauro and Lucy Saccucci DiTerlizzi, Pasquale attended St. Charles grade school and Libbey High School in Toledo, Ohio. Immediately after graduation, Pasquale entered into U.S. military service, on active duty 1941 to 1944, working as a welder on ships. When he returned to Toledo after the war, his brother-in-law took him into his own shoe shop where he learned the art of shoemaking. In 1947, Pasquale opened up his own shoe shop on Upton Avenue in West Toledo, where it remains to this day. In addition to shoe repair, he took college courses to learn how to make orthopedic shoes and became adept at any leather repair of any kind including saddles, riding gear, belts, coats and purses. Even, his shop was the place to go for tap shoes. Family vacations were spent at shoe conventions, and the shop grew through its 73 years as he worked with his children Anita, Patsy, Mario, Tina, Dino and Mari and his wife Juanita. Leading up to this last illness, Pasquale, age 97, still worked at the shop. Not driving the last few years, he made sure someone in the family took him to the shop every day.

In 1948, Pasquale DiTerlizzi married Juanita Gackstetter and together they raised six children, first in West Toledo and then on their family farm a short distance in Michigan.

The farm was a hive of activity with many special family events and a busy, active family. Deeply faithful, the DiTerlizzi family became synonymous with St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Temperance soon after the move to the farm. For decades, Pasquale was a leading parishioner at St. Anthony's, where his family initiated its famous spaghetti dinner fundraisers. As the family grew, many weddings, Catholic rites and family gatherings were celebrated at St. Anthony's.

Pasquale DiTerlizzi leaves a legacy of life, love and faith to his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and extended family. Everyone he knew received a strong handshake, a warm look in the eye and a smile. His Catholic faith held him strong through adversity, joy and sorrow and it holds his family firmly now as they move forward.

As Pasquale DiTerlizzi journeyed home he was surely met by his wife Juanita and second wife Romelda, his daughter Anita, his sisters Virginia, Antoinette and Lena, his parents, cousins, aunts and uncles who preceded him in death. He lakes his leave as the Patriarch of his family, but his spirit imbues them all. We wish them comfort in memories as they forge ahead and honor the life of this remarkable man.

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