Julius Giraldi, 93, his PaPa J's Italian Restaurant patrons enjoyed autographed celebrity sketches on the walls as he played violin
Hoodoo
PaPa J's patrons enjoyed autographed celebrity sketches on the walls as
its owner played violin.
By Virginia Culver
The Denver Post
05/27/2010 01:37:00 AM MDT
http://www.denverpost.com/obituaries/ci_15169815
http://snipurl.com/wtwjy [extras_mnginteractive_com]
Julius Giraldi would serenade diners at his Italian restaurant, playing
classical and romantic songs on his violin.
Julius Giraldi was a fixture in Westminster, just like his PaPa J's
Italian Restaurant.
Giraldi, who with his wife, Antoinette Giraldi, opened the place in
1976, died May 21 at a care center. He was 93.
Visitation will be today from 4 to 8 p.m at the Archdiocese of Denver
Mortuary Chapel, and the funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Our
Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church, 3549 Navajo St.
PaPa J's, at West 76th Avenue and Sheridan Boulevard, is known for its
traditional Italian fare, autographed drawings of celebrities on the
walls and Julius Giraldi's serenading of diners with classical and
romantic numbers on his violin.
Many of the drawings, of various sizes, are signed by the stars,
including Frank Sinatra, Johnny Cash, Debbie Reynolds and Bing Crosby.
Giraldi didn't exactly know these people, but he made sure they had a
chance to meet him.
When he heard of a celebrity's upcoming visit, he would go to the place
where the person was performing and manage to reach the star to ask for
an autograph on the drawing. "He knew a lot of people, had a lot of
connections," said his son Mark Giraldi of Arvada.
A 1987 Denver Post review of the restaurant said it caters to "John Q.
Public" tastes, rather than being a place that tops pizza with "caviar
and elk meat."
Antoinette Giraldi did most of the cooking, family members tended bars
and Julius Giraldi took care of the front end. His favorite meal was
lasagne and spumoni, said Yvonne Moya of Golden, one of the four family
members who now own the restaurant, which has had four locations in the
northwest metro area.
The first restaurant seated 40; the current one seats 250.
Giraldi retired in 1987, but he came in for years to visit with friends.
Julius Cesar Giraldi was born in Denver on Aug. 16, 1916, and was reared
in north Denver. He graduated from North High School.
In 1941, he married Antoinette Bavaro. She died in 2001.
Giraldi had two long careers before he took up with pizza. He worked as
an electrician for the Rio Grande Railroad for 25 years and a like
amount of time for Western Davis, a liquor distributor, where Giraldi
was a merchandiser.
He also played with the Denver (now Colorado) Symphony and had a small
dance band in the 1940s and 1950s, his son said.
In addition to his son, Giraldi is survived by two other sons: Ray
Giraldi and Nick Giraldi, both of Arvada; a daughter, Bernadette Giraldi
of Henderson; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
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