Nilo Speziale
October 11, 1933 – October 22, 2023

Nilo Speziale passed away peacefully on Sunday, October 22.

Nilo was born in Lavenna, Italy to Donato Speziale and Emma Minatta. When Nilo was six months old, his father passed away and Nilo and his mother moved back to her hometown of Delebio. There, Nilo grew up surrounded by his grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. It was in Delebio that Nilo began his lifelong love affair with mountains and skiing. He would spend any free moment climbing the surrounding mountains with his friends. He taught himself to ski and even made his first pair himself. Some of his favorite stories to tell involved the adventures he and his friends would get into while mountaineering.

Following his mother’s marriage to Fermo Fistolera, Nilo immigrated to America and arrived in Arcata in 1952. Even though he spoke little to no English, he began working at the California Barrel Company and soon had saved enough money to buy his first car. He would go on to work for P.C. Sacchi’s car dealership and various grocery stores, finally retiring after a long career at Safeway.

It wasn’t long after his arrival in Arcata that he met Loretta Baiocchi (nicknamed Basco), whom he married in 1955. Nilo and Loretta had two children, Judy and Don. They were married for 63 years until Loretta’s passing in 2018. Nilo and Loretta lived a good life. They raised their children, enjoyed their grandson and took trips to Los Angeles, the Grand Canyon and Italy. They enjoyed showing their Italian visitors the sights of California. But most of all Nilo enjoyed going skiing and it didn’t matter where - Horse Mountain, Mt. Ashland or Mt. Shasta. He enjoyed working in his yard, but most of all he loved driving his red pickup to visit his friends and do his errands.

Nilo was the friend you could always count on to help, whether it be building a deck, making wine (and helping to drink that wine), setting up for and cleaning up after accordion club events or placing flags at the cemetery on Veteran’s Day.

Nilo loved his family, his friends and his country. He was so proud to be an American citizen and displayed the flag every day in front of his home. He will be missed by all who knew him, but he is at peace now and dancing with his beloved Basco.

Nilo was preceded in death by his wife Loretta and is survived by his daughter Judy, son Don and his husband Mike and grandson Matt. Nilo’s family would like to thank the staff at Timber Ridge in McKinleyville who took such good and kind care of Nilo this past year.

Donations may be made in Nilo’s name to the Employee Fund at Timber Ridge McKinleyville – 1400 Nursery Way, McKinleyville CA, 95519.

A celebration of Nilo’s life will be held at a future date.

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