YOUNGSTOWN - There will be funeral services at 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Anthony of Padua Church for Vincent James Fuurie St., who died at 5:20 p.m. Saturday at his residence.
He was born Oct. 26, 1920, in Youngstown, Ohio, and graduated from Fowler High School in 1939.
He served in World War II as a sergeant in the 95th Infantry Division of the 377th Infantry Company in General Patton's U.S. Third Army and fought in the Battle of the Bulge. He earned numerous medals, including three Bronze Service Stars and two Bronze Star Medals (one with Oak Leaf) for Bravery and Valor in Combat.
After the war, he married Mary Louise Bruno on July 21, 1945, in St. Ann's Church in the Brier Hill section of Youngstown. Together they started in the grocery business with a neighborhood store on Oakland Avenue in 1947. In 1962 he opened his first supermarket on Glenwood Avenue and joined Sparkle Markets. In 1978 he established the Village Plaza Sparkle Group with the opening of the Village Plaza Sparkle store in Columbiana. For the past 31 years he was the Managing Partner and guided the company's expansion of numerous stores through construction and acquisition.
He is survived by his four children, Dorajean (Ron) Havrilla of Canfield, John (Pam) Furrie of Tucson, Ariz., Vincent Jr. (Jill) Furrie and Michael (Sonia) Furrie, both of Columbiana; 10 grandchildren, Brian Havrilla, Tod Havrilla, Morgan Havrilla Jacob, Stephen Havrilla, Kristin Furrie Owens, Vincent Furrie, Brent Furrie, David Furrie, Amy Furrie Canada and Nicole Furrie; six great-grandchildren, Amanda and Allison Havrilla, Lucas Jacob, Alexandra West, Dominic Furrie and Alexander Havrilla.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Louise, in 2006 and his brother, Nicholas Furrie of Vienna in 2004.
Calling hours will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday and from 10 a.m. Thursday at the Schiavone Funeral Home. Entombment will be at Calvary Cemetery.
During the past three years, he was lovingly cared for by Veronica, Vicky, Renee, Gina, Angie and Rachel. We would like to thank MVI Hospice for assisting us in his final days.
"Dad, Thanks for everything. Say Hello to Mother for us. We love you both very much and we miss you both."
10/19/09
