Paul Palazzolo
Paul Palazzolo, 87, of Tower, died at home Wednesday, January 11, 2023. The son of Joe and Mamie (Tocco) Palazzolo, Paul was born in Detroit October 11, 1935. After graduation from high school, he enlisted in the Army Air Force and was stationed in Guam and Okinawa, Japan. Paul married Marsha (Pennell) LaFave Valentine’s Day in 1998. They made their home in Ocqueoc and later moved to Tower.
It was in the early 1970s that Paul decided he wanted a simpler life and left the hustle and bustle of suburban Detroit to move to northern Michigan. He made his career as a businessman owning a manufacturing company and then went into the restaurant and bar business.
He owned Paul’s Place on Black Lake, which is now The Bluff’s, and the All Sports Bar in Alverno, now the Dirty Duck. With a knack for making people laugh, his friendly personality, and his skills as a cook, the restaurant and bar business was a good fit for Paul.
One of Paul’s favorite places was Black Lake where he enjoyed boating, fishing, scuba diving and camping. He was an avid snowmobiler, but also enjoyed taking a break from winter for travel to warm, sunny destinations in the Caribbean. In his later years, Paul took up woodworking and loved watching the birds as they came to the feeders outside his window. He was a fan of all Detroit sports, but the Detroit Red Wings were his number one. Paul was a member of the Millersburg Fraternal Order of Eagles.
Paul embraced his heritage by cooking the most delicious Italian dishes. It brought him great joy to cook for his family and friends, and vice versa, it was a great joy for his family and friends to enjoy a plate of pasta with Paul’s homemade spaghetti sauce (which was heavenly!).
And it wasn’t just Italian food that Paul could serve-up; his grandchildren loved his French toast and sausage that he cooked for breakfast every time they spent the night with Grandpa. It was a wonderful tradition that they looked forward to whenever they stayed.
Paul could talk to anyone, made friends easily and enjoyed making people smile. He was hardworking, genuine and had a wonderful sense of humor. And though he had no biological children of his own, Paul loved his stepchildren like they were his own. He was a supportive father always available to help his kids when they needed him. He was a devoted husband and adored his grandchildren.
Surviving Paul is his wife of 25 years, Marsha Palazzolo, of Tower; sons, Chris (Yvonne) Moran of South Boardman, Greg M
Paul was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Daniel LaFave; and granddaughters, Jamie Moran and Trisha Moran Nimis.
Cremation has taken place and a Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.
Those planning an expression of sympathy please consider a donation to Hospice of Michigan or your favorite charity.