Allen C McCovey

Gianpaolo Venturi was born on December 11, 1940, in Bologna, Italy. He died on June 12, 2020, in his home in Arcata from ampullary cancer.

Gianpaolo graduated with a law degree from the University of Bologna. Shortly after beginning a family, he and his family moved to Beatrice, Nebraska, where along with his father-in-law, they established Price Chopper Food Center. While in Beatrice, GP, as he was known to his American family and friends, supported renovation of the local library, donated to the food pantry, and was a Rotary Club member. GP believed in the importance of community.

In 2003, GP and his wife moved to Arcata to be close to their daughter. In Arcata, his passion for fine foods led them to form Hasta-Be-Pasta, a food production and manufacturing business of gourmet Italian foods. He led the company until his death.

Gianpaolo is known, among his older friends, to look at life through a philosophical lens, but to speak about it with the poetic grace that used to win him awards. In his free time, GP enjoyed designing and building structures for his gardens, as well as remodeling projects for his homes; he could envision creative solutions to almost any problem. GP’s passion for trees and gardening transformed gardens into beautiful edens that attracted wildlife and left people wanting more. His summers were always spent returning to his beloved Bologna with its splendid architecture, and to enjoy his lifelong friendships by the Adriatic Sea in Cervia.

Gianpaolo is survived by his wife, Madeleine; his daughter, Litzy Venturi, brother; Gianpietro Venturi; sister-in-law Alessandra Rubini; mother-in-law, Dorothy Chisholm; brother-in-law, Graham Chisholm; and sister-in-law, Lesley Hildreth. He will be sorely missed by nieces and nephews in the U.S., Italy, and Belgium

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