Obituary of Pat Joseph Vella

WEST COLUMBIA—Funeral service for Pat Joseph Vella, 88, of West Columbia, will be held at 10:45 a.m. Monday, December 23, 2013 at St. Peter's Catholic Church. Father Gary Linsky will officiate. Burial will be at 2:00 p.m. at Ft. Jackson National Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Pat G. Vella, Jr., Dody Vella, Bobby Mefford, Randy Coker, Nick Estes, Stephen Williams, Reese Williams, Jeremy Davis and Walt Hallman. Honorary Pallbearers will be David Diamond, Lonnie Sheppard, Cutt Harmon, Gerald Baker, George McCutcheon, Bob Brown, Fred McElveen, Mooney Player, Wayne Smith, Tom Linn, Larry Hall, Chip Johnson, Charlie McNair, Byron Moore and the USC Letterman's Association. The rosary will be recited at 4:30 p.m. with Father Marcin Zahuta, and the family will greet friends following the rosary until 8:00 p.m. Sunday, December 22, 2013 at Thompson Funeral Home of Lexington, 4720 Augusta Road, Lexington, SC 29073. Mr. Vella, beloved husband of Rose Spires Vella, passed away on Wednesday, December 18, 2013. Born in Rockford, IL, he was a son of the late Gaspare Vella and Maria Antoinette Mira Vella. Pat excelled in all sports from grammar school to high school. He received the city of Rockford's Most Valuable Athlete/All City Award two years in a row, and set records in football and track that have yet to be broken at East Rockford High School. Mr. Vella received football scholarship offers from the University of Illinois, University of Notre Dame, Purdue University, University of Wisconsin and the University of South Carolina. He served during World War II on the USS North Carolina/BB55 for four years fighting campaigns in the Pacific from Guadalcanal to Tokyo Bay. When he returned in 1946, he attended the University of South Carolina on a football scholarship and played for the Gamecocks for four years, earning a Bachelor's degree. For the past 67 years Pat has not missed a home football game at USC. He was recently honored as being USC's "Greatest Football Fan", donates a full scholarship to USC each year. Pat believed faith, family and friends were the most important and joyous facets of his life. He was an integral part of the Cayce community by first opening Vella's Open Air Market on Knox Abbott Drive, followed by Vella's Shopping Center, Vella's Deli, now the popular Vella's Restaurant and Tavern. Mr. Vella's legacy as a Carolina Gamecock Fan and Cayce businessman will serve as an inspiration to future generations. He was a member of St. Peter's Catholic Church, faithfully and proudly serving as Head Usher for the past 30 years. Among his other loves were playing golf, his bird dogs, quail hunting and the USC Lettermen's Association of which he was a Past President. He is survived by his loving wife, Rose Spires Vella of West Columbia; son, Joseph "Joe" T. Vella (Melinda) of Myrtle Beach; daughter, Robin Vella Coker (Randy) of South Congaree; son, Dr. Jim Estes (Suzi) of Columbia; grandchildren, Pat G. Vella, Jr. of Lexington, Dawn Vella Williams (Stephen) of West Columbia, Dody Vella of Pine Ridge, Mandy V. Turner of Myrtle Beach, Victoria "Tori" Vella of Columbia, Robert "Bobby" S. Mefford of Gilbert, Nick, Sam, and Abi Estes of Columbia; great-grandchildren, Amber and Alyssa Vella, Baylee and Carlee Vella, Ryann and Reese Williams, Jeremy Davis, Ashleigh and Kaitlynn Sanders, Rylan and Kenna Turner. He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, Joan Cox Vella, son, Pat G. Vella, Sr.; grandson, Chad Anthony Vella; great-granddaughter, Alexis Vella; brothers, Tony and Joe Vella and sister, Janet Vella Mahan. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to St. Peter's Catholic Church, 1529 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC 29201, St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 1610 Greene Street, Columbia, SC 29201, or the University of South Carolina Gamecock Club, 1304 Heyward St., Columbia, SC 29208. .