James (Jim) A. Cavaiuolo Jr.

James A. Cavaiuolo, Jr. 74, Trempealeau, WI, entered peacefully into heavenly rest on Monday, December 25, 2023 surrounded by family. Jim was born on Easter Sunday April 17, 1949 in New Haven, CT. He is the beloved husband of 52 years to Susan (Smader) Cavaiuolo. He was a Chef/owner/proprietor over his life serving in restaurants/public schools. Starting his career working with his dad at the Ambassador Restaurant in Hamden, CT and then his family’s restaurant the Green Dolphin in Cheshire, CT. He held an associate’s degree in culinary arts from the Culinary Institute of America in New Haven, CT and graduated in the top 25% of his class in 1969.

He was the Area Supervisor and instructor for the Associated Restaurant of Connecticut Food Service Industry Training Division. Hartford, CT Jan 1972 – June 1975. He also taught night school for food service and baking at Eli Whitney State Technical College. He was a volunteer firefighter in Cheshire, CT and served in the National Guard, earning various medals and receiving an Honorable discharge as a Specialist E Mess Sergeant in 1975. He continued his food service career in 1975-1980 with the Continental Management Corporation, as the Food and Beverage Director in Daytona Beach, FL. Starting from an empty building, he designed the Chateau Vivon, a retirement resort/dining facility also open to the public with banquet rooms and supervised 30 food service employees.

After relocating to the Midwest, he opened Sabatino’s Diner with his wife in La Crescent, MN which was famous for the best omelets around for 16 years. After being called on to safely mitigate a chemical spill at the Sparta High School, he was offered the position of Food Service & Transportation Director for 11 public schools in the Sparta, WI area, even working with architects to design a new production kitchen, food court, cafeteria, and more. He was very involved with WASBO (Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials) from 1997 – 2008 and greatly enjoyed volunteering planning their conventions.

He was the Food Service Director for the People’s Food Co-Op and worked in the Deli and managed the Bakery at the old Festival in Holmen, WI. Post-retirement he enjoyed helping his daughter wrap soap and shower tabs at her shop, Handmade Natural Beauty Boutique in downtown La Crosse, WI.

He loved cooking, traveling with his RV, horseback riding, sitting in his recliner with a small dog or two, boating on the river, watching his grandson perform, and the Green Bay Packers. He is survived by his wife Susan, daughter Angela (Tim Neyens) and grandson Cameron Cavaiuolo, brothers Dominic (Maria) Cavaiuolo, John (Joanne) Cavaiuolo, and Robert (Cynthia) Cavaiuolo, Nephew Garrett (Lauren) Cavaiuolo, Niece Rachael Cavaiuolo, Brother-in-Law Charlie (Lynn) Smader, Sister-in-Law Pamela Smader, Niece Jennifer (Jeffrey) Missling, Nephew Jeffrey Smader, Nephew Joseph (Jen) Smader, Nephew William Tycer, and several great nieces & nephews. Jim was predeceased by his parents James and Virginia Cavaiuolo, father-in-law C. Louis Smader and mother-in-law Doris (Rasmussen) Smader, brother-in-law, David Tycer,  niece, Danielle Cavaiuolo, and nephew, Timothy Dioses.

Funeral services will be held at 12:00 pm Tuesday, January 2 at Schumacher-Kish Funeral Home, 200 West Avenue South, La Crosse, WI. Visitation will be from 11:00 am until the time of service. Pastor Phillip Waselik will officiate. Entombment will be in Oak Grove Cemetery Garden Mausoleum following the service.