Nick Leo 1920-2004

LEO, RUSSO, FRAZER, PIRILLO, FASANO, NAPOLI, GRECO, MURPHY

Posted By: Martha Kunkle (email)
Date: 9/28/2004 at 10:36:35

Long-time Oelwein businessman dies at 84
By DEB KUNKLE/City Editor

OELWEIN - The Oelwein community was saddened Wednesday with the passing of one of its favorite longtime businessmen. Nick Leo died Wednesday morning at Oelwein Mercy Hospital. He was 84.

Nick was one of four children born to Italian immigrants Frank and Angeline Leo. A lifelong Oelwein resident, his formative years were spent helping in the family grocery at 800 W. Charles.

Kaye (Russo) Frazer grew up across the street from the historic Leo's Grocery. She remembers her family, along with most others in the neighborhood, had an account at the store. Every payday, her father would take his daughters with him when he walked over to pay the bill. They would each get a three-cent ice cream cone as a special treat.
Frazer said Nick and his family made great contributions to the economic and social growth of the community. She said anyone who met Nick was always treated to one of his stories - and he had one for any occasion.

Friend since childhood, Lou Pirillo, shared some of his memories of Nick.
Pirillo remembered Nick and another friend, Joe Fasano, went off to barber school in Des Moines in the last 1930's. Joe stayed in Des Moines with his occupation and Nick returned to Oelwein, setting up a barbershop in the west portion of his parents grocery store.
"It was on account of him that I went to barber school. He talked me into it, so off I went in 1940, to become a barber, too. In those days, you had to find some way to make a living," Pirillo recalls.

It turned out to be the perfect occupation for a guy who loved to share stories. Pirillo said anyone who knew Nick, knew about his storytelling.
"He was the greatest storyteller of anybody I ever knew-comical ones. He loved to talk and share experiences - a great communicator," Pirillo said.

Nick later turned his barbershop into a pizza business that became well-known to most area residents. During the World War II era, he also operated the Horseshoe Tap that was located across the alley from the Mealey Hotel.

Pirillo said Nick had many talents, among them playing the accordion. He was part of a group of friends that formed the Italian Accordion Band. Other members included Charles Napoli, Leo Greco, Dave Greco, Tony Greco, Angela Leo (Pirillo) and Priscilla Fasano. Pirillo recalls a teacher came up from the Ginsberg Music Store in Cedar Rapids to give the lessons.
At the time the band was popular, there were also cottages on Lake Oelwein. On some Sunday evenings, the Italian Accordion Band members would pile into row boats and give serenades from the middle of the lake. Pirillo said it was a great time to live in the community.

Nick went on to also operating Nick's Village Inn for several years, at the same location where Leo's Italian Restaurant now is operated by his son, Mike. The Village Inn had a couple of features that many residents will remember. Not only was his famous pizza made there, but Nick also introduced Oelweinites to his "water burgers," a flavorful burger sizzled on a grill with water.
Using his shrewd business sense, Nick created a screened window on his downtown storefront and cooked his water burgers there. With the fan vent overhead, the air up and down main street would permeate with the aroma of the burgers and hungry customers flocked to the window.

In paying tribute to his friend, Pirillo said Nick was always there for his friends and family. He was very proud of his Italian heritage and family, as well as his tremendous pride in being an American.

Oelwein Mayor Larry Murphy also paid tribute to the lifelong resident whose business ventures left an indelible mark on the town's history.
"Nick and his generation are what made Oelwein the town it is. He was always very community-minded and aggressive in defending Oelwein," Murphy said.
"The image my sons and I will always cherish, is the old store on the westside. It was a place to go and catch up on the news. There was always something good going on there, either food or a story, or both. My boys have a very affectionate memory of going in there," he said.
Murphy said, in writing down the history of Oelwein, Nick will always stand out as one of the icons - one of those pillars that will long be remembered.
"He was just a gem of a citizen, one of those guys you felt glad you got the chance to know," Murphy said.

http://www.oelweindailyregister.com/articles/2004/07/22/news/news61.txt
 

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