Nigro's restaurant was family affair for founder
John Nigro had a hands-on approach as proprietor of Nigro's Family Restaurant in North Versailles.
He built the business with his wife, Virginia, and at one time, all seven of their children.
"He and my mom were always there," stepdaughter Karen Elko said. "If Mr. Nigro wasn't there, they wanted to know why."
John N. Nigro, of North Versailles, died on Monday, July 29, 2002, in UPMC McKeesport hospital from complications of pneumonia. He was 72.
Mr. Nigro founded the restaurant — housed in an old dairy building — in 1969. He taught others to make his specialty: pizza.
"Homemade pizza and homemade pasta. That's our forte," Elko said.
Mr. Nigro learned the restaurant business from his parents, Nicholas and Lena Nigro. They owned the former Colonial Manor Supper Club in North Huntingdon Township, Westmoreland County.
"He learned to run the business being with his dad at the Colonial Manor," Elko said. "His mom was a great cook."
Mr. Nigro was raised in Homewood-Brushton and graduated from Westinghouse High School in 1948. He attended St. Vincent College before serving in the Air Force from 1949-55.
Eleven years after the death of his first wife, Frances, he married Virginia Beondy in 1962.
Bobbi Thorpe, who has been employed at the restaurant for 29 years, said Mr. Nigro could be fun, but everyone was expected to work hard. "He was always fair. He was always in sight."
Mr. Nigro is survived by his wife, Virginia M. Beondy Nigro, of North Versailles; his children, Maureen Magaritz and John A. Nigro, both of North Versailles; and Nicholas J. Nigro, of North Huntingdon; stepchildren, Karen Elko, of White Oak; Joseph and Jeffrey Juricich, both of North Versailles; and Michael Juricich, of North Huntingdon; and 15 grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. today in the Jennifer S. Jordan Funeral Home Inc., 1638 Lincoln Way, White Oak. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Thursday in St. Robert Bellarmine Church with the Rev. Jack O'Malley as celebrant. Entombment will follow in the St. Joseph Mausoleum, North Versailles.
