Pete A. Curlo

Peter A. “Pete” Curlo, 102, of Ashton, died Saturday, May 2, 2009 at St. Francis Skilled Care in Grand Island. Services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the St. Francis Catholic Church in Ashton. The Rev. Marty Egging will officiate. Burial will be in the St. Francis Catholic Cemetery in Ashton. Visitation will be Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the church, with a 7 p.m. vigil service and Knights of Columbus rosary. Peters Funeral Home of Loup City is in charge of arrangements. Mr. Curlo was born on June 2, 1906, at Columbus, the son of George and Victoria (Koperski) Curlo. He is survived by his wife, Anna Curlo of Ashton; three daughters, Mary Ann Sokol of Rockville and her special friend, Ray Cich of Ithaca, Elaine Barnier and Harold Grotte of Ramsey, MN and Jeanette “Jan” and Sid Moe of Grand Island; and one sister, Martha Bonczynski of Boelus. He is also survived by nine grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren. Pete grew up and received his education in the Ashton area. In 1924, he attended the Zocholl Business College in St. Paul. In 1927, he went to the Lincoln Barber School in Lincoln and returned to Ashton, where he worked at Peter Pederson’s Barber Shop. After a few years, he decided to travel and visited many interesting parts of the country, returning to the Ashton area in 1935. He was united in marriage to Anna Bonczynski on April 27, 1937, at Farwell. The couple farmed near Rockville for 20 years. In May 1957, they purchased the tavern in Ashton from Leonard Jamrog and together they ran “Pete’s Bar” until Nov. 1973. The couple retired and continued to live in Ashton until his death. Pete was a member of St. Francis Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus Council No. 5455 of Loup City; the Ashton Community Club; and was a former member of the Elks and Platt-Duetsche of Grand Island and the Eagles of Ord. Pete enjoyed fishing, hunting, dancing, traveling, an occasional casino trip, auctions and playing cards. He was a very loving husband, father and grandfather and loved being with his grandchildren. Pete was known to everyone for his great sense of humor. He was preceded in death by his parents; sons-in-law, Paul Sokol and Gary Barnier; grandson, Keith Sokol; two sisters, Katherine Lemburg and Xavier Bauman; and six brothers, John, Frank, Walter, Ed, Roman and Stanley Curlo. Memorials are suggested to the family’s choice.