Caesar (Hector) Angelo Papi

Caesar (Hector) Angelo Papi 1930 ~ 2015 Caesar (Hector) Angelo Papi, Jr. PORTLAND - The Papi family regrets to announce the passing of our father Caesar Angelo Papi Jr. Caesar passed from this world peacefully while at home on the morning of August 4, 2015. Caesar, known as Hector to his friends, was an 85 year lifelong resident of Portland, a devoted husband and loving father and proprietor of Pap's Variety in Portland's West End. In 1953, Caesar married Mary Theresa Taliento, also of Portland and they shared a 62 year marriage raising five children beginning on Munjoy Hill and later the East Deering area. Caesar was always committed to his family, spending every Sunday around the dinner table with the entire family for pasta and sauce at home or at his beloved camp on Little Sebago Lake. Caesar graduated from Portland High School in 1948 and thereafter enlisted in the Maine Air National Guard. He was called to serve his country during the Korean War and was stationed overseas in North Africa. Caesar was greatly impacted from his time overseas and his friendships and experiences were often shared. Caesar often retold his experiences including when he was carried aloft on shoulders in his U.S. Air Force uniform through the streets of his parents' small Italian town while his uncle shouted out ""Caesar has Returned."" He was an accomplished drummer who led his own jazz band, Caesar's Four and for many decades played with many of the local jazz and big bands. The bands he played in provided many nights of entertainment at the Coral Lounge and Hawaiian Hut at the Eastland and at DiMillo's in Portland. Caesar was a man of fortitude and perseverance and he demonstrated this with his commitment of giving of himself to family and friends. He continued to stay in contact and visit his service mates for greater than fifty years and always maintained lifetime contact to his neighborhood friends the Adams Street Gang, hosting an annual reunion on Little Sebago Lake. He expressed particular love for all his close relatives in the Papi and Taliento families. He would often visit for a coffee or a chat in the various family owned businesses. Caesar was from a large family of family owned businesses, from shoe repair to grocery stores and a popular bread bakery. Caesar spent most of his career as proprietor of Pap's Variety on Portland's West End. He was often applauded for his generosity to neighborhood families giving bread and food to families in need. He was honored in 1994 by receiving the annual Neighborhood Service Award for giving outstanding service and spirit of neighborhood cooperation by the Portland West Neighborhood Planning Council. After retiring he was affectionately called ""meals on wheels"" by his family for delivering food and giving rides to ill relatives and friends. He also never missed a Sunday bread delivery to each house of his five children. Caesar will be remembered for his sense of humor and his generosity by all those who knew. Caesar demonstrated to all his great love and commitment with the never-ending care he provided for his wife Mary during these past several years. He will be greatly missed by his children; Christopher and wife Dorothy of Windham, Peter and wife Leigh-Ann of Portland, Mary Anne of Portland, James and wife Bernadette of South Portland and Regina and husband Jeffrey Ham of Falmouth. Grandchildren Michael and Joseph Papi, Olivia and Amelia Papi, Sophia and Mitchell Ham. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by three brothers, Agamemnon (Meme), Reginald (Nado) and Vincent (Jimmy)Papi and by a sister, Mary Ann Papi and by his uncle, Rocco DeCarolis. Family and friends are invited to visiting hours on Friday, August 7, 2015 from 4 - 7pm at A.T. Hutchins Funeral and Cremation Services, 660 Brighton Ave, Portland. ~Prayers will be recited at the funeral home at 9 Am on Saturday, August 8, 2015, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10am at St. Peter's Catholic Church, 72 Federal St. Portland. ~Interment will follow at New Calvary Cemetery, South Portland. ~To offer words of condolence and share memories with the family, please go to~www.athutchins.com