Albert “Al” Vettori, 84, of Saxonburg, PA, passed away Tuesday morning, August 25, 2020.
Born June 29, 1936, he was the son of the late Joseph and Ella Vettori.
Al grew up on his family’s vegetable farm near South Park outside of Pittsburgh. The Bureau of Mines acquired part of the farm during WWII to experiment with explosives. Due to this acquisition and development in South Park, in 1951, Al’s father purchased what is now the Vettori farm in Saxonburg from the Zollar family when Al was a teenager. They later sold just the original farmhouse building, which is now the location of the Orchards of Saxonburg care center. Al was a proud Navy veteran from 1955-61, serving as an airplane mechanic. He married the love of his life, Carol Paulsen Vettori, on June 12, 1956. In 1963, he bought his first grain bin in Nebraska and drove it back to Saxonburg. Al would go on to sell Behlen grain bins and buildings for nearly 40 years and he won many awards as top salesman. In the early 2000s, he began to sell Hustler Zero-Turn mowers from his shop at the farm. On the farm, which he acquired in 1969, he planted and harvested corn, sweet corn,wheat, oats, soybeans, and raised beef cattle. Under Al’s dedicated eye, the Vettori farm became a true family farm, with Al’s children and grandchildren continuing to work alongside him. At age 65 when many are hoping to retire, Al decided to computerize the farm. In recent years, he’s experimented with GPS in his tractor to get his planted rows straight. Al’s willingness to learn new things and his enthusiasm for life drew family and lifelong friends to him, including his friend and farmhand of 40 years, Ted Harvey. And even with Al’s work ethic, he never missed an opportunity to spend time with his family. From Knoch football games to see his granddaughter twirl her fire batons, to spending time
with his sons on the farm, he was a true patriarch who will be dearly missed by his family and his community.
Al is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 64 years, Carol Paulsen Vettori; his only sibling Virginia Paulsen; and his four children, Diane (Joe) Sepich, Darlene (Jim) Sikorski,
Dave (Melissa) Vettori, and Daryl (Jody) Vettori. Al had five grandchildren, Joe Sepich III, Trevor (Becca) Sepich, Lacey Becker, Megan Vettori, and Kendall Vettori, and one
great granddaughter, Adaline Sepich.
Friends will be received on Friday, August 28, 2020 from 2-4 & 6-8 pm at the Fox Funeral Home, Inc., 410 W. Main Street, Saxonburg.
Funeral services will be private.
Interment will follow at Saxonburg Memorial Church Cemetery. www.foxfuneralhomeinc.com