Bob Pioli was born in Niagara Falls, New York, the son of Italian immigrants who came to the United States after World War I. His parents spoke little to no English, and Pioli and his brother largely taught themselves the language to attend school, according to his grandson, Matt McCarthy.
Pioli died Feb. 21, 2019. McCarthy recently shared details of his grandfather’s military service and life in the Mid-Ohio Valley. Pioli initially wanted to enlist before the United States entered World War II, but his mother refused, McCarthy said. She had lost a family member in World War I and feared for her son’s safety.
