Designated Fund

William Iannello, of Gettysburg, passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 3, 2022, surrounded by his family. He was 94.

William (Bill) was the father of Kathleen Iannello (Terence Dalton) of Gettysburg, and William C. Iannello (Fely) of Tunisia. He had a special relationship with his grandsons, Andrew Iannello Dalton of Gettysburg, Christopher Iannello (Jacquie) of Fort Worth, Texas, John Iannello of Chandler, Ariz., Trevin Dalton (Aimee) of Alexandria, Va., and Brendan Dalton of Sunbury, Pa. Bill had six great-grandchildren. He was especially close to his brother, Ross Iannello, of New Berlin, N.Y., and will be sorely missed by his sister-in-law, Paula Elsey, of Dallas, Texas, as well as nine nieces and nephews and their families. Bill was predeceased by his wife of 59 years, Helen (Morgan) Iannello.

Born November 16, 1927, at the family home in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, Bill was a son of the late Rosario (Ross) Iannello and Rosaria (Rose) Muzzopapa. His parents were immigrants from Calabria, Italy, who met in New York City and were married near Berkeley Heights. His father acquired a dairy farm there and ran a successful milk delivery business for many years. Together with his siblings, Dominick, Julia, Ross, and Art, Bill helped run the farm, eventually buying a farm of his own and moving his immediate family to upstate New York. For the next several decades, he managed award-winning dairy herds near New Berlin, N.Y., with recognition from the Holstein Association.

After retiring from farming, Bill and Helen lived in Arizona and later Florida where Bill worked as a part-time carpenter. They spent several summers in Gettysburg during which time Bill served as clerk of the works at Gettysburg College, overseeing various building renovation projects. In 2005, Bill and Helen moved to Gettysburg to be closer to family. After Helen’s death in 2010, Bill moved in with Kathy, Andrew and Terry (who died in 2017). Andrew had an extraordinarily close relationship with his grandfather, and considered him a second father. With Kathy, Andrew cared for him lovingly in his final years.

Bill loved life and was alert and intellectually engaged until the very end. He was intensely interested in politics and enjoyed political discussion and debate. While he himself had only attended school through the eighth grade, he was proud that his daughter Kathy earned a Ph.D. in political science and taught at Gettysburg College for 30 years.

He was also proud of his Italian heritage. Bill loved listening to opera. He was a life-long Mario Lanza fan. Kathy remembers waking up to the sound of Lanza’s voice at 5 a.m. when Bill would play records on the Victrola before heading out to milk the cows.

A highlight of his life was traveling to Italy in 2011 and attending a performance of La bohème in Rome. On that same trip he enjoyed walking in the olive groves and watching the production of cheese and prosciutto in Parma. Bill loved cooking and was known for his extraordinary gardening abilities. At times, the tomato crop was so bountiful that it enabled grandson Andrew to have a profitable tomato stand in front of the house.

In his last years, Bill was especially proud of Andrew’s work as executive director of the Adams County Historical Society. He attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the new ACHS Museum and Education Center, and visited the construction site with Andrew dozens of times. He asked for photos and updates every day, reviewed the building plans, and even spoke on the phone with the architect. He wished he could have lived to see the project’s completion.

Bill was a kind and gentle man with an enormous heart. He was a perfectionist to the core and always fought to make life easier for his family. There was nothing more important to him than his loved ones, for whom he would do anything and everything. It is fitting that he left this world in their arms.

The William Iannello Endowment for Adams County Historical Society honors his love of family and their commitment to Adams County and its history.