Giuseppi Fanello

Giuseppi P. Joe Fanello, 86, of La Crosse, died on Thursday, August 22, 2013 at the Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center. He was born on December 7, 1926 in La Crosse to Antonio and Eunice (Waller) Fanello. Joe attended St. Charles Catholic Grade School in Genoa and Aquinas High School. He proudly served in the US Navy during WWII aboard the battleship USS New Jersey which was anchored in Tokyo during the signing of the Peace Treaty. Joe was very proud that his father, brothers and brothers-in-law all served in the military. On June 2, 1949, Joe married Mary Jane Thompson in St. Charles Catholic Church, Genoa. He had worked at Burlington Northern Railroad for 44 years. Joe made many longtime friends on the many sports teams he played on. He played 16-inch pumpkin ball for 31 years for Our Corner, Gladstone, Red Lantern, and Schmidtys. He also enjoyed golfing, bowling, cooking, working in his garden, and visits from special dog, Sadie. He was a loyal Green Bay Packer fan. Joe was a member of St. Thomas More Parish, the Stoddard-Genoa American Legion, and an honorary member of the Eagles Aerie 1254. His proudest achievement was his three daughters.

He is survived by his wife Mary Jane, three daughters, Kathleen (Rich) Garbers, Barbara (Brian) OLeary, and Susan (Rick) Worden, six grandchildren, Greg Garbers, Ami (Steve) Burns, Ray (Wendy) Fisher, Amanda (Brian) Wise, Andrea OLeary, and Ashley Worden, nine great-grandchildren, Brady and Lucas Garbers, Ben Burns, Brianna (Ben) Kammel, Andrew and Alex Fisher, and Scott, Tyler and Joshua Wise, two brothers, Phillip (Shirley) Fanello and Eugene Muggs (Joan) Fanello, four sisters-in-law, Lois Fanello, Shirley Fanello, Nancy (Dave) Honken, and Donna Thompson, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by two sisters, Giovanna Mathison and Betty More, four brothers, Dominic, Anton, Frank and Albert, a step-brother Thomas, a special brother-in-law Jerry Sonny Thompson, two nephews, baby Paul and D.J., and four nieces, Ruthie, Mary, Sarah and Linda.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, August 26th at 10:30 AM at Mary, Mother of the Church Parish at St. Thomas More Catholic Church. Rev. Douglas Robertson and Msgr. Delbert Malin will officiate. Burial with military honors will be in the Woodlawn Cemetery. Friends may call at the church on Monday from 9:30 AM until the time of services.