Paul Nicholas Vitale

Paul Nicholas Vitale, an active and inspirational force in the Pocatello community for more than five decades, passed away peacefully at his home on August 2, 2024, surrounded by family.

Paul was born June 26, 1938 in Connellsville, Pennsylvania to Anthony Vitale and Catherine Siwula, both first generation Americans. Their Italian and Polish heritages significantly influenced Paul throughout his life. He was the second born of five brothers, one of whom died in infancy. His parents and immigrant grandparents infused a solid work ethic and respect for the working class that sustained him into old age. A frequent refrain in the Vitale household was, “don’t work, don’t get no supper”. He likely missed few suppers because from an early age he kept himself busy shining shoes, delivering papers, and caring for the animals on the family farm, among other sundry jobs.

Paul grew up a “military brat” attending schools stateside in Pennsylvania, Texas and Indiana, as well as overseas in Munich and Heidelberg, Germany. He wrote later in his life that he was the proud son, brother, nephew, cousin and father of men and women who served the country from WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam and the Cold War army.

During his transition to adulthood, Paul, his brothers and various friends concocted schemes to gain entry to venues that helped to foster a lifelong love of music, and especially jazz. Paul loved going to the late-night jazz clubs in Indianapolis. He was often the only white guy in the afterhours clubs and got to hear many of the jazz masters of the 50’s and 60’s. In fact, a major impetus during travels later in life was to hear live music.

Paul’s early college career followed a pattern of stops and starts so he could earn money for the next semester. Like most students, he grappled with finding his calling. His initial thought of becoming a chemist was dashed by the realization that mathematics was his Achilles’ heel. He obtained his undergraduate degree from Purdue University after being inspired to pursue a life of service to others through social work. Ultimately, he earned a master’s degree in social work from Indiana University.

In June of 1962, Paul married Jane Vogel in Wabash, Indiana. By 1963, children started arriving. He and Jane had four children during the next five years: Kathy, Nick, Angelo and Carmen. The family first moved to Pocatello in 1968 when Carmen was just three months old. Paul served as part of a team of specialists working on a project commissioned by the Idaho State Department of Education to develop uniform criteria to achieve a more efficient system of public education. A touch of homesickness prompted the family to move back to Indiana for two years, where Paul held down jobs, first in Indianapolis working for Catholic Charities, and then in Vincennes where he was the director of the St. Vincent Orphanage. They finally moved back to Pocatello in 1972 where they settled on Barton Road, never to move again.

Back in Pocatello, Paul first worked for the school district as a social worker before moving to a 20-year career at the Fort Hall Reservation as the Bureau of Indian Affairs area social worker beginning in 1976. Retirement was an ill-fitted suit for Paul, so after a short hiatus, he went back to work as a school counselor, working at various schools in the Pocatello District. A second failed attempt at retirement led to an appointment to the School District 25 School Board, where he served from 2012 – 2023.

Paul was a lifelong learner and interested in so many different pursuits. At the top of the list were animal husbandry, gardening, bee keeping, baking and cooking, pottery, camping, cross country skiing, bicycling and reading. He was a frequent challenger for the top bread baking awards at the county and state fairs. Equally important to him was competing in the Senior Games, where he routinely squelched the aspirations of fellow competitors in the over 60-year division for cyclists, often on a tandem. He loved visiting people and helping with various work around their properties, from driving tractor, to inoculating cows to barn raising. He was also active in local politics, serving as a precinct committeeman and on the School Board.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Jane; his children, Kathy (Mike Sullivan), Nick (Supe Lyon), Angelo (Tiffany Allgood), Carmen (Danny Sutton); seven grandchildren, Gabriella, Eli, Guillermo, Caitlin, Tevis, Molly, Finnegan and Roy; great grandchildren, Willow, Lucianna and Jensen; and one brother, Joseph Vitale.

A funeral mass will be offered for Paul at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church 524 N 7th, at 4 pm, August 22, 2024. There will be a reception following the Mass. He will be interred in Mountain View Cemetery at a later date.