Joseph Papania

Joseph Papania, 75, passed away on Saturday, August 21, 2004 at Banner Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona due to complications from heart surgery.

He was a fruit and vegetable farmer for over forty years in New Waterford, Ohio before moving to Yuma, Arizona in 1999. Joe also worked at Horton Fruit Company in Louisville, Kentucky as a crop manager; he owned and operated a 7&14 Service Garage in Columbiana, Ohio; he worked as maintenance engineer and truck driver at Converse All Steel in Canfield, Ohio; and he was a custodian at St. Jude Church in Columbiana.

While living in Ohio, Joe belonged to both Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in East Palestine and St. Jude Catholic Church in Columbiana, where he served as Eucharistic Minister and Lector.

He held the office of treasurer for the Knights of Columbus and for the St. John Neumann Men's Club.

Joe's community involvement included the Ohio and Columbiana County Horticulture Societies, the Ohio Farm Bureau, the Ohio Fruit Growers, and the Salem Fruit Growers Association. Additionally, Joe was an active Lions Club member for 20 years and had served as president of both the Yuma Quartermasters Lions Club and New Waterford Lions Club. He was a skilled mechanic, woodworker, photographer, carpenter, handyman and inventor, and he enjoyed passing on these skills to young adults.

Son of the late Ralph and Angeline Papania, Joe leaves behind his wife, Deveta, and his four daughters: Chris Freed, of Shelton, WA; Rose Converse and Peggy Sanor, both of Salem, OH; and Kay Spading of Bellevue, WA.

Other surviving relatives include his brother, Ralph of Boulder, CO; his brothers Dominic and Frank, both of New Waterford, OH; his sister Mary Mullen of Pittsburgh, PA; eight grandchildren; and one great-grandson.

He is preceded in death by his wife of fifty years, Dorothy Abels Papania of Enon Valley, PA; his daughter, Mary McCague and his two sisters Rose Papania and Frances Colella.

A memorial mass will be celebrated at Our Lady of Lourdes Church at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 16, 2004.

His ashes will be buried in the family plot at St. Mary's Cemetery.

Immediately following burial, the family will receive friends in the basement of the church from noon until 2:00 for food and fellowship.

The family suggest memorial tributes take the form of contributions made to St. John Neumann Church Building Fund, 11750 South Mesa Drive, Yuma AZ 85367.