July 31, 2002
Laurium
Dominic M. Vairo, 88, of 601 Lake Linden Ave. Laurium died on July 31, 2002.
He attended the Calumet Schools where he participated in football, basketball, & track, graduating in 1931. He captained the football team and earned all U.P. honors and his basketball squad was undefeated in 1929-1930. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame cum laude with a degree in Business Administration in 1935. He was a starting end for the Irish during the 1932-1934 seasons. He also was elected captain of the Fighting Irish in 1934. He was named an all American by such nationally known experts as Grantland Rice, Damion Runyon, Red Grange & the all American Board of Football. In 1936, Dominic joined the Green Bay Packers where he played with Don Hudson and subsequently with the Chicago Gunners when he later moved to Chicago. Of all of his college recognitions, Dominic cherished the honor of winning the Byron V. Kanalley award which was granted to the senior monogram athlete judged the exemplary student & leader of the men at the University of Notre Dame.
Dominic married Dorothy Jane Ahrbeck on May 16, 1936 at the Log Chapel, the original church constructed on the Notre Dame campus.
After graduation from Notre Dame he worked for the Ford Motor Co. and Cuneo Press in Chicago. He returned to Calumet in 1939 at the death of his father and took over his father=s business. In the early 1940's Dominic entered the political arena and was elected county clerk in 1942. Shortly thereafter, he joined the Navy and served with the Seebies at Lt. Jr. Grade in the South Pacific. When Dominic was discharged in 1946, he was re-elected to his county office and served as the Houghton County Clerk until 1952. He then joined the Leveque Insurance Agency in Calumet and owned and operated that agency until his retirement in 1983.
Dominic was active in local athletics where he officiated and announced high school football and basketball games for more than 10 years. He also served the community in many civic and professional groups including: the Calumet Public Hospital as a board member for over 10 years, the Miscowaubik Club as an officer and board member, the Italian Mutual Insurance Company as the secretary and board member, the Chamber of Commerce, Christopher Columbus Society, the Elks, VFW and American Legion. He was a member of St. Mary=s church where he served as a board member and presently was a member of the St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church
He was an original member of the Calumet Electronics Board of Directors, being elected in November 1967 and served in that capacity until May of 2002. On October 8 1983 the order Sons of Italy in America, the oldest & largest Italian-American fraternal organization on the North America continent elected Dominic as the AOutstanding Italian-American of the Year@.
Surviving are:
His wife Dorothy
Daughter: Judith Best of Ithaca, New York
Son Gerald (Claudette) Vairo of Laurium
6 grandchildren: Michael (Sherry) Best of Phoenix, Arizona
David (Margaret) Best of Vienna, Virginia
Julie (Mike) Milani of Chicago, Illinois
Nicole (John) Brisson of Chicago, Illinois
Gina (Patrick) Flynn of Cleveland, Ohio
Stephen (Shannon) Vairo of Houghton
10 great Grandchildren: Nicholas Best, Nancy Best, Carolyn Best, Timothy Milani, Katherine Milani, Thomas Flynn, John Flynn,
Dominic Brisson, Anthony Vairo & Gerald Vairo.
Niece: Paula Muvrin
Dominic was preceded in death by his parents Dominic & Mary (Perona) Vairo, a sister Marie ADolly Muvrin
A Mass of Christian Burial will be Celebrated at 10:00 AM Saturday August 3, 2002 in the St. Paul the Apostle Church in Calumet with Fr. Abraham Mupparathara & Fr. Wayne Marcotte to officiate.
Friends may call Friday August 2, 2002 at the Erickson-Crowley Funeral Home in Calumet from 2-5 & 7-9 PM.
The Christopher Columbus Society will have a service at 7:00 PM followed by American Legion/VFW & the Elks
A prayer service will be held in the funeral home at 7:30 PM.
In lieu of expression of sympathy the family suggest memorials be given to the Dominic Vairo Scholarship fund at the Calumet High School.
The Erickson-Crowley Funeral Home is serving the family.
Burial will be in the Lake View Cemetery
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