Albany says goodbye to community leader, businessman Paul Lionetti with emotional service and procession

A man with a grand vision for the city he loved and an even bigger heart for the people who called it home — that was how Albany businessman Paul Lionetti was remembered at his funeral on Monday. Albany said farewell to the beloved businessman at a packed service at his waterfront venue Due South after his shock death on May 31 at age 69. Hundreds of people filled the venue, with hundreds more watching the live stream online, including some from his home country of Italy. After the service, a funeral procession travelled through the heart of the Albany CBD to the sound of church bells, passing some of Mr Lionetti’s properties, including the Hilton Garden Inn Albany and York Street IGA. People lined York Street to pay their respects, clapping as the procession approached. At the Due South service, long-time friend and business partner Barry Panizza delivered the eulogy on behalf of Mr Lionetti’s grieving family. A self-described “simple man from a peasant family”, Mr Lionetti arrived in Australia from Italy as a five-year-old in 1957, jumped on the back of his father’s ute, and headed along Albany Highway to Narrikup to start a new life. His business empire started with a deli 45 years ago and grew from the ground up to include supermarkets, the city’s biggest hospitality venue Due South, and the $30 million Hilton Garden Inn. The service focused on Mr Lionetti’s generosity and desire to help his customers, community causes, and the thousands of people he employed over the decades. “A truly remarkable man, a man with vision, a man with passion, a man with drive, and a man who could get things done,” Mr Panizza said. “One thing we can all say: Paul has made us all feel like we are his friend. “Paul leaves this city a great legacy in business. “But let’s not forget the legacy of the people he has employed and helped in business or personally over many years. “We are the people that will miss him immensely. “Paul is a huge loss to the community, business associates and friends, and that’s pretty much all one and the same.” Mr Panizza thanked Mr Lionetti’s family — his “greatest legacy” — his wife of 45 years Sarina, their two children and four grandchildren. “We thank you for sharing this remarkable man with us — the humble baked bean seller,” he said. Mr Lionetti’s niece Melania Manera travelled from Italy for the service, paying tribute on behalf of her family at home by delivering her tribute in Italian and English. She said he filled up the distance between his family with “affection and support”. “We would like to think that you will watch over and look after us forever. You left so much good in this world,” she said. Albany Mayor Dennis Wellington gave the last of the speeches, paying respect to his friend. “In my mind, I class Paul Lionetti as an industrial diamond,” he said. “Something you use to get the most difficult jobs done, polish the things that need polishing and, at the end of the day, remains something that is priceless. “Priceless to his family, priceless to his community and priceless to his friends. “There will never be another like him, as I think he is irreplaceable, and to my mind you will always be Albany’s industrial diamond.”