Carmelo V. Pagano; Retired Shoe Repairman

Carmelo Victor Pagano, a retired owner of a shoe repair shop, died Monday at his home in Thousand Oaks. He was 83.

He was born April 23, 1917, in Pasa Carrera, Italy, but was raised in Antillo, Sicily. He attended school until he was about 11 years old and then took up the shoe repair trade.

When he was 20, he immigrated to the U.S., becoming a laborer and living in Detroit and then Washington, D.C. He soon returned to the shoe repair trade and worked for department stores.

He served in the Army during World War II.

Pagano, who had a daughter from a previous relationship, married Margaret Habib in 1944 and the couple had five sons and a daughter. Six years later the family relocated to California, where he opened shoe repair shops in Sylmar and then Granada Hills. In 1969, he owned two shops, one in Granada Hills and the other in Westlake Village.

The family moved to Thousand Oaks in 1964, and Pagano continued working at the Westlake Village shop until his retirement about 13 years ago. His son, Victor, still owns the Pagano Shoe Repair shop, which has since been moved to Thousand Oaks.

After retirement, Pagano and his wife enjoyed taking cruises to Europe, Mexico and Italy. The couple also enjoyed ballroom and square-dancing.

He was a member of the Italian Catholic Federation; Bella Vita, an Italian family club, and River Ridge Senior Men’s Golf Club. He was also a parishioner and usher at St. Paschal Baylon Catholic Church in Thousand Oaks.

Pagano also grew flowers and vegetables.

His younger daughter Tina Mazzoni and his son Richard said their father had two passions: their mother and golf. Their mother died in March 1999.

In addition to his daughter Tina, who lives in Farmington Hills, Mich., and sons Victor and Richard, Pagano is survived by sons Joseph, John, and Tom, all in the Thousand Oaks area; a daughter, Adele Hunter of Simi Valley; a brother, Domenic of Oregon; 20 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

A funeral Mass is scheduled at 10 a.m. today at St. Paschal Baylon’s Catholic Church, and entombment will follow at Valley Oaks Memorial Park in Westlake Village.

Arrangements are under the direction of Pierce Bros. Valley Oaks Mortuary in Westlake Village.

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Ventura County obituaries are compiled by Linda Herron. They are published free of charge as a public service to readers, based on information provided by mortuaries.