1933
Frankie Pasco Spadafora
2024
Frankie Pasco Spadafora
April 16, 1933 — March 1, 2024
Montrose, Colorado
2024 six weeks before he would have celebrated his 91st birthday. He loved celebrating his
birthday and wished for 10 more!
A proud Italian, Frank was born in Price, Utah on April 16, 1933 to Pasco Spadafora and
Louigena “Jean” Vetere who immigrated from Cosenza, Italy at the age of 8. He was the
second born of six children and the only son of the couple. He lived and attended school in
both Green River and Price, Utah. Frank played basketball for Green River High School and
served as class president his senior year until he was drafted into the Army.
Frank met Betty Ann Kochevar at a neighbor’s party on Ragged Mountain, Colorado and
learned she worked at a drug store soda fountain in Paonia. His trips back and forth to the
mountain now included a stop for ice cream or a soda in Paonia! They wed on 2/25/53 and the
two of them left for boot camp at Ft. Ord California 5 days later. The war ended before he
completed his time at Ft Lewis, Seattle so he returned home to help his father with the sheep.
He and Ann had two sons who grew up helping on the ranch as well as with Frank’s hunting/
guiding business on the mountain. This venture thrived and Frank was able to build a large
hunting lodge and hire friends and many of his nephews to help guide the elk and deer hunters.
The Spadaforas built a home and lambing sheds in Montrose and purchased grazing
properties in Utah and Peach Valley for the sheep. He was very active in the Woolgrowers
Association and was famous for his barbecued lamb on a spit.
After both of his parents died, Frank’s life took a different direction. He and Ann moved to Las
Vegas where they worked for a cousin at his casino, counting money and teaching the kitchen
how to cook his lamb stew, beans with bacon, spaghetti sauce, and cheesecake. Ann and
Frank retired when they were both 81 years old and moved back to Montrose to be closer to
their sons and family in 2014.
After Ann passed less than a year later, Frank spent his days missing her and working jigsaw
puzzles while visiting with other veterans at the Wounded Warrior Center. He also enjoyed day
trips to Grand Junction to take his sister Charlotte shopping at Sams and out for lunch;
attending musical jam sessions; taking a few classes to brush up on his harmonica skills; and
playing bingo every Tuesday night at the Elks lodge with Ed and LeAnna. He never won a big
pot but he always “came close”! He became friends with many of his neighbors and enjoyed
taking them out for dinner and being invited to their homes. He loved spending a few days in
Las Vegas with Randy and his wife, Kellie, as well as special times with them in Hotchkiss
helping with a small herd of sheep and picking, eating and canning fresh vegetables from their
garden. A day trip to Green River for Melon Days or a family reunion brought him much joy. He
jumped at the chance for a car ride to just about anywhere. Oldest son, Ed and his wife
LeAnna will especially cherish their annual Christmas Light Tours with him. No matter where he
was or what he was doing, Frank was almost always singing a song or humming a tune.
In addition to his sons and daughters-in-law, Papa Frank is survived by his grandchildren
Jonathan and his wife Sandi, Tayllor, Cameron and his wife Katrin, and Kelsey as well as greatgrandchildren
Andrew, Ali and Avery.
Frank and Ann will be laid to rest together at a private family graveside service in Green River,
Utah where most of Frank’s friends and family are buried. A celebration bbq will be held in his
honor later this spring at Randy and Kellie’s home in Hotchkiss.
The family wishes to thank Heidi’s Chateau and Hopewest Hospice for the loving care Frank
received over the past several months.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Frankie Pasco Spadafora, please visit our flower store.
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