Lyndonville community celebrates life of Paulie Lauricella

Photo by Tom Rivers – Ryan Earl, a friend of Paulie Lauricella, is pictured with Paulie’s father Paul Lauricella during a celebration and benefit for Paulie today at the Lyndonville fire hall.

LYNDONVILLE – “Love.” That’s how Ryan Earl describes one of his best friends, Paulie Lauricella.

“Paulie had a very big impact on everybody,” Earl said.

Lauricella was 24 when he died on Jan. 15. He was on his way to work as a machinist at Brunner in Medina when he hit black ice at 6:30 a.m. on East Yates Center Road, lost control of his vehicle and then hit a tree.

The community responded with a vigil on Jan. 19 in his honor. Paulie’s family has received home-cooked meals from community members and many cards expressing condolences. Today, from 1 to 5 p.m. Earl organized a celebration and benefit in honor of Lauricella at the fire hall.

Proceeds will go towards an etching on his mausoleum in Lynhaven Cemetery.  Earl and Paulie’s father, Paul Lauricella, also would like to establish a scholarship in honor of Paulie. The scholarship would go to a graduating senior who loved his or her classmates the most, who was a loyal friend, Earl said.

“People don’t get commended for being righteous,” Earl said.

During low times in his life, Earl said he could always count on acceptance and encouragement from Paulie.

“He had a very big impact on everybody,” Earl said. “I wouldn’t be the husband or father I am today without him.”

Paulie’s death has been difficult on his friends and family. Paul Lauricella worked with his son in a business where they bought vintage vehicles that were beyond restoration and sold off the parts. Paulie was good at negotiating, at buying the vehicles and then working with buyers interested in parts.

“He could talk to anybody,” his father said.

Paulie and Paul Lauricella are pictured last summer with a 1940 Buick Special. The father and son worked together buying vintage vehicles. The younger Lauricella also was a machinist at Brunner in Medina.

Paulie is the youngest of Lauricella’s four children. Paulie would bring dinner to his parents on Friday nights and would then watch wrestling with his father.

Mr. Lauricella would hear from the parents of Paulie’s friends about how he would always shake hands with the fathers and hug the mothers. Paulie was sought out for advice by his many friends.

“He was an amazing kid and I miss him terribly,” Mr. Lauricella said. “He was friends with everybody. He accepted everybody and that’s why people loved him.”

Mr. Lauricella is vice chairman of the Orleans County Conservative Party. He had been a frequent presence at local government meetings, especially the County Legislature. Lauricella would rail against government spending and often was critical of the local officials.

He received cards from all seven legislators after his son died, and some made memorial donations to the library in honor of his son. Other community members have reached out to him and his family, and Lauricella thanked them all for their support.

“This has completely changed my outlook how people will rally around you,” Mr. Lauricella said. “My son would always say you need to ‘Pay it forward’ down the road and I intend to. I understand how all humanity hurts when something like this happens.”