Allan “Big Al” Vantangoli passed away on April 10th 2018 after a courageous fight with Pancreatic Cancer. Born in Boston, Massachusetts on February 16 1944, Allan was the son of Paul and Elizabeth Vantangoli. From a young age, Allan worked the family business of Sea Mossing and greatly cherished the memories of that time.
He was a graduate of Silver Lake Regional High School, Class of 1962. Upon completing his studies, Al began his journey of adulthood. He was always a worker, and willing to… Read More » work for what he had.
Sometimes this meant working as he did for Western Mass Electric (Ever) for many years in many capacities with the company. Sometimes it meant working as a police officer, a title that he held for fifty years with various departments. He was most proud of his family though, and he spent countless hours devoted to them.
Vacations to Hampton Beach, fishing, music, playing Bocce, collecting jukeboxes and pinball machines, collecting Coca-Cola memorabilia, living life in “The Fast Lane,” that was Big Al. He never met someone that he didn’t have some connection with, whether it be that he knew their father or he had shut off their lights many years ago. His friends always joked that you could go to the moon and likely find someone that knew Big Al, he was noted through the neighborhood for his annual Christmas displays and always treated people with fairness and kindness, lessons that we could all learn from.
He was a tough man, but a generous man. He had street smarts and that always served him well, even in the digital age. He was very proud to be named “Hometown Hero by the American Red Cross, he worked at the Big E for 50 years and was involved with the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day Parade for 30 years always standing at Beech and Northampton Streets, know as “Big Al’s Corner”.
He leaves behind to cherish his memory, his wife Karen (Ricardi), his sons Nicholas, Paul, and James, his brother Billy Mencer Ackerly, his Law Enforcement family, his many nieces and nephews, his many grandchildren, and a great grandchild and several extended family members and friends. Visiting hours for Allan will be held on Wednesday evening April 18, 2018 from 5:00-7:00pm at the Ludlow Funeral Home. His Funeral will take place on Thursday morning, family and friends are asked to meet directly at First Church in Ludlow, 859 Center Street, for an 11:00am service followed by a funeral procession to Island Pond Cemetery for burial.
In lieu of flowers it was the wish of Al’s family that donations be made in his memory to: Special Olympics@ www.
If you found any mistakes, or you would like to add/remove to this obituary, please contact us by email: info@obituary.memorial. We never ask money for this.
