Their Story
Donato Angelo Francisco “Dan” Petruccelli was born in St. Luke’s Hospital in Davenport, Iowa on January 25,1927[1], the first of three sons to Giovanni and Margaret Tronzo Petruccelli. Dan’s adoptive mother was Josephine Skinner Petruccelli.
Coming from an immigrant family, Dan did not speak English until he was ten years old.[2]
As a youth (age 13) Dan auditioned for the Kate Smith Hour, a radio variety program. Dan was known as the “Boy Tenor.” He entertained for many churches and organizations in the Quad Cities for decades. One of the highlights of his youth was to audition for the famous soprano Kate Smith who readily approved and recommended his singing of “God Bless America” over Radio Station WOC to sell war bonds.
Dan graduated from Davenport High School on January 25, 1945, and enlisted in the U.S. Navy the same day[3]. He took Boot Camp at Great Lakes Naval Station and then was sent to San Diego for training as Hospital Corpsman[4]. While in the Navy he was awarded a Commendation from the Secretary of the Navy[5]. Dan also sang in the Navy. He was on the “Joy and Squeezie Show” on WBYN Radio. He was known as the “Bagroom Canary”[6].
After his Navy service, Dan graduated from St. Ambrose College with a Major in Business Administration and with a Minor in Music. While at St Ambrose, Dan was the featured Tenor Soloist at a December 1946 St Ambrose-Marycrest Choir Concert.[7]
After graduation Dan attended the American Conservatory of Music on a Full scholarship for operatic training[8]. While there he was recalled by the Navy during the Korean Conflict. Following his second military service he worked at J.C. Penney’s, Penn Mutual and Lincoln National Life selling life insurance. After a few years of long hours, many in the evenings, he decided that teaching vocal music was more to his liking, so he attended Augustana College to earn his teaching certificate. He was hired by the Rockridge, Illinois, School District 300 where he was vocal music supervisor for nine years, then by the Rock Island School District 41, where he taught vocal music to all levels of students, full and part-time, for a total of 39 years.
On October 3, 1953, he married Beverly Bee Biere, who passed away in 1985 from complications from cancer. They had been married for 31 years.
Dan married Jean Barkley, a fellow teacher, on February 21, 1987, and they were married 28 years[9].
While still teaching he held part-time jobs including selling automobiles, selling golf equipment at the Back Nine Golf Shop, and directing Davenport playgrounds’ summertime programs[10].
In retirement he enjoyed golf, painting, woodworking, traveling, telling jokes, and talking about automobiles. He was especially proud of his Italian heritage, and in his later years liked being called by his true first name, Donato[11].
He was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Davenport, and Illinois Retired Teachers[12].
Dan flew for the first time in 2009, when he went on the Second Honor Flight from the Quad Cities[13].
Donato Angelo Francisco “Dan” Petruccelli, age 88, of Davenport, Iowa, passed away on January 15, 2016, at Bettendorf Health Care Center[14].
[1] Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/157105637/donato-angelo_francisco-petruccelli: accessed 14 July 2023), memorial page for Donato Angelo Francisco “Dan” Petruccelli (25 Jan 1927–15 Jan 2016).
[2] Interview by Dale P. Blesz, PhD and members of the Petruccelli Family, Fall 2021
[3] The Daily Times, 25 Jan 1945, Thu · Pages 7 and 10
[4] The Daily Times, 25 April 1945, page 12
[5] Interview by Dale P. Blesz, PhD and members of the Petruccelli Family, Fall 2021
[6] Interview by Dale P. Blesz, PhD and members of the Petruccelli Family, Fall 2021, and a Newspaper Clipping from the Family
[7] The Daily Times 07 Dec 1946, Page 6
[8] Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/157105637/donato-angelo_francisco-petruccelli: accessed 14 July 2023)
[9] IBID
[10] Interview by Dale P. Blesz, PhD and members of the Petruccelli Family, Fall 2021
[11] IBID
[12] Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/157105637/donato-angelo_francisco-petruccelli: accessed 14 July 2023)
[13] Interview by Dale P. Blesz, PhD and members of the Petruccelli Family, Fall 2021
[14] Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/157105637/donato-angelo_francisco-petruccelli: accessed 14 July 2023), memorial page for Donato Angelo Francisco “Dan” Petruccelli (25 Jan 1927–15 Jan 2016),