John D. Panella Jr. 1948-2019
TAMPA, Fla. — John David Panella Jr., 71, passed away peacefully Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, at Tampa General Hospital, surrounded by his family. John bravely fought leukemia earlier in 2019 and ultimately passed away due to complications.
John was born Aug. 13, 1948, in Youngstown, Ohio, to the late John and Agnes Panella. He graduated from Kent State University after an early career in the building trades, then retired as the carpentry / cabinetmaking teacher at the Mahoning County Career and Technical Center in Canfield, Ohio.
In 2010, he was able to fulfill a long-held dream to buy a condo and retire to Florida.
John spent his remaining years traveling the world, visiting China, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Ecuador.
It was on this last trip that he met his loving wife, Sonnia Maritza Puga. They enjoyed going to casinos and enjoying the sunshine all over Florida and during their frequent trips to Ecuador to visit Sonnia’s family.
At his side when John passed on, he is survived by his loving family: his wife, Sonnia Maritza Puga Panella of Port Charlotte; two daughters, Melissa (Patrick) Williams and Mary (Joseph) Richley, both of Poland, Ohio; two sisters, Joan (Joseph) Maro of Poland, Ohio, and Mary (James) Dickens of Massillon, Ohio; and his loving grandchildren, Nathaniel and Jocelyn Richley of Poland, Ohio.
Private arrangements were made by Roberson Funeral Home in Port Charlotte, Fla.
(special notice)