GLOUCESTER: Samuel P. “Glo” Scola, 79, of 88 Pleasant Street, Sheedy Park, died Thursday, June 7, 2007 in the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.
Born in Gloucester on March 15, 1928, Sam grew up in the Fort section of town. He enjoyed playing and swimming at Pavilion Beach as a young boy. During the summers, between high school, at the age of 14, he began fishing on the family boat, the “Rosemarie”. He got a taste of fishing and the sea, and he knew that would be his lifelong career. Right out of Gloucester High School, graduating with the class of 1947, he began fishing full time. He fished for fifty-three years, mostly aboard the “St. Mary”, with his three nephews, Memo, Mike and Tom Spinola. It was quoted on the waterfront that Sam was one of the best deckhands in Gloucester.
While at Gloucester High School, Sam loved all sports and due to his tall, slender stature, he played three years of varsity basketball, where he excelled. Many family members and friends enjoyed watching him play. During his senior year, his team won the championship and traveled to play a game in Gloucester, New Jersey. After graduation, he played with a Y.M.C.A. semi-pro basketball team for a few years.
Sam had a lifelong passion for sports and he especially never missed a Patriots, Red Sox or Celtics game on TV. He was an animal lover and had two very special cats and dogs, when he was younger. He was a former member of the Gloucester Lodge of Elks No. 892, the Capt. Lester S. Wass Post #3, American Legion and the St. Peter’s Club. In his retirement, he enjoyed long rides around the Cape and back shore with his best buddy, Joe Parco of Magnolia.
He is survived by two daughters, Patricia A. Genest and Annette L. Ercolani, his loving companion of many years, Jean McLaughlin, two sisters, Vincie Gounaris and Mary Scola, two brothers and three sisters-in-law, Peter and Anna Scola and Joseph and Ginny Scola and Millie Scola and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. Sam is also survived by his former wife and mother of his children, Frances (Ragusa) Scola. He is predeceased by his parents, Capt. Gaetano and Josephine (Palazola) Scola, three brothers, Jerome, Paul and Thomas Scola, two sisters and three brothers-in-law, Fannie and Domenic Spinola, Rose and Anthony “Small Man” Frontiero and Arthur “Tasi” Gounaris.
His funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday in the Holy Family Parish, St. Ann Church at 9 a.m. Visiting hours will be held on Sunday in the Pike-Grondin Funeral Home, 61 Middle Street, Gloucester from 2 -5 p.m. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his memory to the Cape Ann Animal Aid, 260 Main St., Gloucester. Interment will be held in the Calvary Cemetery.