Pete Anthony Pampolina, 74, of Lumberton, died Monday, December 2, 2013, at Harbor Hospice in Beaumont, surrounded by his children. A native of Port Arthur and resident of Lumberton since 1994, Pete was born February 28, 1939, and is the son of Walter and Yvonne Pampolina. After attending Bishop Byrne High School, Pete enlisted in the US Army Reserves and was stationed in San Francisco, California. He returned home for a brief leave and married his high school sweetheart, Mary Dean “Deany” Romero on New Year’s Eve in 1956. They returned to San Francisco until 1957. Upon their return to Port Arthur, Pete worked for Port Arthur Furniture on Gulfway Drive as a salesman. Pete and Deany started their family in 1958 and soon had three children, Charlene, Ricci and Kathy. Pete eventually opened his own business called Golden Triangle Appliance Center and then a second business called Ricci’s Lamps and Shades. After being a business owner for several years, Pete began his lifelong career as a liquor wholesaler for Tarrant Distributors out of Houston and sold Seagram products to liquor stores across the Golden Triangle area. He was one of Tarrant’s top salesmen for nearly forty years. Pete won several trips during his employment which allowed him to visit places like Rome, France, Spain, Scotland and Hawaii to name a few. He also won a brand new car one year when he was awarded “Salesman of the Year.” In 1994, Pete and Deany moved to Lumberton, TX where they built a new home. They were devoted grandparents to five grandchildren and proudly attended every event they participated in. Pete eventually retired from sales in 2000. He enjoyed his retirement life with Deany until she became ill and then he took excellent care of her until her death in 2008. On weekends, before he got sick, Pete enjoyed dancing at Larry’s French Market and visiting with everyone there. Pete was very social and never met a stranger. Everyone in the Golden Triangle knew Pete Pampolina. He will be dearly missed by all.
He will be sincerely missed by his children, Charlene Pampolina Bourque and her husband, Scooter; Ricci Pampolina and his wife, Anne; and Kathy Pampolina Guilbeaux and her husband, Rohn; mother, Yvonne Pampolina; grandchildren, Natalie Pampolina, Brannon Bourque, Christopher Pampolina and his wife, Maggie, Dustin Guilbeaux and Kalynn Bourque Hanna and her husband, Jacob; and soon to be great-grandson, Case Christopher Pampolina; and many friends and family. Pete was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Dean Pampolina; his father, Walter Pampolina; and his brother, Walter “Pop” Pampolina.
A gathering of Mr. Pampolina’s family and friends will be Thursday evening, December 5, 2013, beginning at 5:00 p.m., with a Christian Vigil at 7:00 p.m., at Broussards, 505 North 12th Street, Nederland. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 10:00 a.m., Friday, December 6, 2013, at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, 211 Hardy Avenue, Nederland, followed by burial at Greenlawn Memorial Park in Groves.
A special thanks to his friends who helped him during his fight with cancer. Words cannot express how he and his children have felt knowing how much our dad was loved.
Memorial contributions in memory of Mr. Pampolina may be made to: Be The Match, Gulf Coast Marrow Program, 1400 La Concha, Houston, Texas 77054. (www.bethematchfoundation.org/goto/pampolina)
