POWELL, OH.---Angelo John Iannucci, 89, passed away on Friday, April 22.
      Angelo was born on April 1, 1933, to Angelo M. and Mary Lou Caizzo Iannucci, in Youngstown. His sharp wit and keen sense of humor were second-to-none, and often attributed to his April Fool’s Day birth date.
      He loved all things Italian---the pasta, the culture and the sports cars. He was known for his sweet tooth and looked forward to all sweet treats. He was an avid reader of books, magazines and newspapers, and knew so much about so many things.
      Angelo loved all things football. He was a diehard fan of both The Ohio State Buckeyes and the Cleveland Browns. On Saturdays in the fall, he was all about college football, whether it was attending in-person or viewing endless games on television.
      Angelo was a 1951 graduate of Boardman High School, where in addition to starring at running back on the football field, he was a valued member of the Spartan track and field squad. He earned three letters in each sport. On the gridiron he earned All Tri-County League and All Mahoning County honors. He was inducted into the Boardman High School Athletics Hall of Fame in 1985 and to the Curbstone Coaches Hall of Fame in 2012.
      Angelo attended Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J., where he earned a B.A. degree in English in 1955.
      During his stellar collegiate football career as a Scarlet Knight, he earned three varsity letters. He was awarded the Homer Hazel Trophy as a junior in 1954. As the captain of the 1955 squad, he was an All-East selection as both a junior and senior, earning Honorable Mention All-American laurels his final season.
      Upon graduation, he spent one year in New York City employed by the nation’s seventh largest corporation at the time, Union Carbide. From 1956 to 1959, Angelo served in the United States Air Force, rising to the rank of captain.
      For 50 years, Angelo made a name for himself as the ‘go-to-guy’ in the beer, wine and soft drink industry.
      From 1959 to 1970, he served as sales manager for Superior Beverage in Youngstown. He later worked as the general manager for Western Reserve Distributing Company in Painesville, Oh., from 1970 to 1982. Angelo purchased the company in 1983, serving as the owner/CEO until 2002, when he sold it to Gil Schwartz Distributing Company. From 2003 to 2009, he was the brand manager for Heritage Beverage in Mentor.
      Throughout his 89 years, Angelo touched countless lives and is loved by many. He will be dearly missed by his family. Angelo is survived by his wife, Dolores; three children, Joen, Jon and Robert; three grandchildren, Michael Haring, and Anna and AJ Chadwick; sister, Katherine Iannucci; and nieces, Andrea Lepore and Christina Tanger.
      He was preceded in death by his parents; nephew, Michael Lepore; and numerous aunts and uncles.
      Angelo (‘Poppy’) will be missed by his friends and caregivers at the Ganzhorn Suites in Powell. A special thanks to Kelly, Zach, JJ and Rowe for serving as his special guardian angels, and to Ebony and Natalia for providing such compassionate care. Much heartfelt gratitude to Poppy’s favorite Ganzhorn visitors (also special guardian angels)---Tracy, John and Johnny Haring, and Morgan (Kuntupis) Koch---whose visits always made him smile and laugh.
      A private memorial service will be held at a later date.
      Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association. To share a condolence with the family, please visit www.NewcomerColumbus.com.