"Mr. Biolo will be rembered by me as a good father of my classmate Mary with whom I have shared my birthday all these years. My dad (also Navy -Pacific Theater) recalled my birthday in 1954 by sharing his evening with Bob waiting for their next children to arrive. Our dads saw many horrible things in their tours but never lost their love of family, community or love of country. With deepest sympathy to the entire Biolo family."
In loving memory of
ROBERT L. BIOLO
April 1, 1921 - October 3, 2006
Robert L. Biolo, age 85, former managing editor of the Mining Journal in Marquette, died Tuesday afternoon, October 3, 2006 at Marquette General Hospital after a short illness.
Mr. Biolo was born on April 1, 1921 in Iron Mountain, Michigan to the late Alexander and Lucia (Marchetti) Biolo.
He graduated from Iron Mountain High School in 1938 and received his bachelors degree from Lake Forest, Illinois College. He later graduated from the University of Notre Dame Midshipmens School, where he was granted his ensigns commission in 1943.
Serving over two years in the Pacific Theater, Biolo participated in the invasions of Tarawa, Saipan, Tinian, Leyte, Luzon and Iwo Jima. He received the Commendation Medal (Tarawa) and Presidential Unit Citation (Saipan). Following his release to inactive duty, Biolo was discharged as a lieutenant (senior grade).
He began working for the Mining Journal in January of 1946. He later managed Russell radio stations, served briefly as communications manager for Harnischfeger Corporation in Escanaba and worked as a state service officer for the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
In 1952, Biolo was named a trustee and secretary of the Shiras Institute. He later was elected president of the Shiras board and was the longest serving member of the non-profit agency, which is dedicated to supporting educational, cultural and recreational programs in the Marquette area.
Biolo served on the Marquette Shoreline Development Commission, was a former president of the Marquette Senior High School P.T.A., was president of the Marquette Little League and was president of St. Michaels Home and School Club. He was a member of the Marquette Kiwanis Club for 30 years, past member of the Community Chest Board as well as the board of directors of U.P. Catholic Social Services. He also was a past senior counselor of the United Commercial Travelers.
He was a member of American Legion Post #44 and the VFW.
Biolo served two six-year terms on the Michigan Board of Managers, overseeing state veterans homes in Marquette and Grand Rapids. In 1996 he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal by the Michigan Department of Military Affairs, the highest civilian honor given by the department.
While with the Mining Journal, Biolo was given the Ernie Pyle Award by the VFW.
He was a member and longtime usher at St. Michaels Church, a member of its Mens Club and a member of the Marquette Golf Club.
Surviving include his wife, the former Norma L. Bartelli who he married on October 12, 1946 at Immaculate Conception Church in Iron Mountain; four children, R. Brendan (Sandra) Biolo of Marquette; Roberta J. (Rick) Everson of St. Louis, MO, Mary Lee Simmons of Augusta, GA and Tim J. Biolo of Marquette; eight grandchildren, Carrie Biolo, Marquette, Ben Everson, Boulder, CO, Nicholas and Jeffrey Everson of Chicago, IL, Rebecca Everson of St. Louis, MO, Lindsey Simmons, Augusta, GA, Stacey Simmons of Cincinnati, OH and Josh Biolo of Madison, WI; three great grandchildren, Clara, Lillian and Charlie Biolo-Thompson, all of Marquette; also surviving are several nieces and nephews.
Preceding him in death besides his parents was a grandson, Chad Biolo; three sisters, Mary, Margaret and Angeline; six brothers, Peter, William, Joseph, Charles, Angelo and John.
Friends may call at the Canale-Tonella Funeral Home in Marquette on Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. where a parish prayer service will be recited at 7:30 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday at 9 a.m. in St. Michaels Catholic Church with the Rev. Msgr. Jed Patrick officiating. Interment will take place in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Marquette.
Pallbearers will be Jim Erspamer, George Johnson, Joe Sullivan, Pete Biolo, John Anderson and Tom Knauss.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made in Mr. Biolos memory to the D.J. Jacobetti Home for Veterans Activities Fund, 425 Fisher St., Marquette, MI 49855.
Tributes
"Dear Mrs. Biolo & Family, We are so sorry for your loss. Bob attended the Board of Light & Power meetings for years, and he was always such a wonderful person. His death is a great loss to the citizens of Marquette. He was so involved in so many important organizations. He was a husband and father/grandfather to be very proud of. Sincerely, Lee & Kathy (Beiring) Gardiner"
"Condolences to the Biolo family. I first met Bob through introduction by "Waba" Treolar. As a Professor emeritus of NMU, I was privileged to talk to a higly culturally knowledgable gnetleman who rounded out my education."
"I worked with Bob at the Mining Journal more than 50 years ago. It was my first newspaper job, and without Bob's kindly and expert mentoring I don't think I would have survived to spend more than 20 years as a featured Milwaukee Journal columnist and arts critic. Bob was of the best, and could easily have starred at The New York Times as at the Mining Journal. He also was simply a fine, wonderful man, one of the best I ever knew. Bless his warm memory."
"My thoughts are with the Biolo family. I spent a lot of time with Bubba and Nonnie when Carrie and I were kids. He was a great granpa to Carrie and was also a very nice man to me. So sorry for your loss."
"The Sirois family would like to extend their condolences for your loss. The Biolo family is in our thoughts and prayers. May God be your rock and strength during this time."
"I am so sorry for the loss of your father and husband. I'm an old friend of Tims, my name is Mary Burgess (Schultz). I read his obituary in the Iron Mountain news, and just wanted to let the family know how sorry I am for your loss. Tim, If you get this, God Bless you and your family through this hard time. Sincerely, Mary Burgess"
"We just returned from a trip to learn that Bob passed away and we want to extend our deepest sympathies. He was a wonderful person, a great citizen, and an even better father and we know that he will be missed by many, many people, including us. Faye & Connie Williams"
"I consider myself so blessed to have seen Bob and Norma on my recent trip to Marquette just 3 weeks ago. Their house was my home away from home the years we lived across the street and then just a few blocks away. Our families just clicked from the moment we moved to Kaye Street and I have so many wonderful thoughts of times we spent together. At Halloween we would put on our costumes and get our pictures taken by Bob. The next day it would magically appear in the Mining Journal. The hospitality shown by Bob and Norma and their whole family to ours, made us feel like we had relatives in Marquette even though we didnt through birth. Bob was so involved in making the world a better place for children and adults, one person at a time. Always putting others first, listening and truly being so interested and very humble about everything he did. Bob called by father every year on his birthday since we moved to Colorado in 1967 and my dad called him every April 1st. I believe this is true friendship at the very best, and that is what Bob was an incredible friend. Tim, Brendan, Roberta, Mary Lee, Norma, and all of those very special grandkids and great-grand kids, you are all in our thoughts and prayers. I know that God is very pleased with your dad and his role model of what Jesus asks us to be like. The Lundeens are so very grateful to have known such a truly great man. Jill (McNellis), Dale, Susan (St. Pierre) and Jan Lundeen Littleton/Greeley Colorado"