Michael Joseph Paulli, 87

Michael Joseph Paulli, 87, of Norfolk died Wednesday night, April 21, 2010, at Norwood Hospital in Norwood. He was born August 1, 1922 in Mount Kisco, New York, son of the late Paul and Josephine (Rosato) Paulli. Mike was a graduate of Mount Kisco High School, where he was captain of the football team.

He then served in the United States Navy during World War II in the European and Amer­ican Theatres.

After high school Mike worked for Asiatic Pe­troleum (now Scallop Petroleum), starting in the Cable Department in 1941 and retiring as vice president in 1977. During this time he and his family moved to Caracas, Venezuela in 1968, where Mike became director of Shell Venezuela. The family returned to the States in 1971 and Mike officially retired from Scallop Petroleum in 1977. Mike continued working in the oil indus­try,

joining Axel Johnson Inc., a Sweden-based company he helped establish a subsidiary com­pany for trading and refining oil. Mike married Joan Raynor (then of Mount Vernon, New York) on September 7, 1946. In 2009 they celebrated their 63rd wedding anni­versary.

During their 63 years of marriage Mike and Joan travelled extensively around the world to places such as England, Holland, Sweden, Brazil, Argentina, and Peru. Mike and Joan’s first home was in Levittown, New York. During their life together they lived in Mount Vernon, New York; Mamaroneck, New York; Redding, Connecticut; Westport, Con­necticut; and finally in retirement to Savannah, Georgia. Mike and Joan also owned a condomin­ium in Manchester, Vermont, where they spent summers playing golf and enjoying time with family and friends.

In 2006 Mike and Joan moved to their cur­rent home in Norfolk to be closer to family. Mike was an enthusiastic golfer. And after 50 years of playing the sport, he finally scored his first hole-in-one in January 1997, and then a second hole-in-one in May 2000. Mike enjoyed watching baseball and football. He also enjoyed dancing with Joan, twirling her on every dance floor he could find.

He is remembered by his family as a friend, a father, a grandfather, and great-grandfather. All remember him as a big hunk of love.

He is survived by his wife, Joan (Raynor) Paulli.

He also leaves a daughter, Barbara Thalack­er, and her husband James, of Milroy, Minne­sota; and a son, Peter Paulli, and his wife Peggy, of Millis.

He leaves five grandchildren: Reagen, Jer­emy, and Emily Thalacker, and Christopher and Norah Paulli; and two great-grandchildren: Eli­jah and Callia Thalacker.

He leaves a sister, Yolanda Semproni of San­dy Hook, Connecticut; and a brother, Paul Paulli Jr. of Charleston, Tennessee. He was also a brother of the late Eugene Paulli.

Funeral arrangements were handled by Rob­erts Mitchell Funeral Home in Millis. A funeral Mass was celebrated Monday, April 26 at St. Jude Church in Norfolk. Burial with military honors was at Norfolk Cemetery.

If desired, donations may be made in his memory to the March of Dimes, 114 Turnpike Road, Suite 202, Westborough, Mass. 01581; the American Heart Association, 20 Speen Street, Framingham, Mass. 01701; or the American Cancer Society, 30 Speen Street, Framingham, Mass. 01701.