Paul E. Tognetti

Honolulu, Hawaii – Paul E. Tognetti, born November 2, 1920 in King City, California died peacefully on April 23, 2012 in Waipahu, Hawaii. As a Veteran, he will be buried in Punchbowl at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Paul is survived by his two twin daughters, Helen T. Snyder of Sedona, Arizona, and Paula E. Michelsen, of Poulsbo, Washington; three grandchildren: Joseph Michelsen of Los Angeles, CA, Jinny Mae Piskel of Spokane, Washington, and Paul Richard Snyder, of Sedona, Arizona; and two great grandchildren, Lucy Piskel and Arina Michelsen. He is also survived by his brother, Elmer Tognetti and his nephew, Wesley Beebe of King City, California. He is preceded in death by his parents, Giuseppe and Beatrice Tognetti, his brothers: Aldo and Guido Tognetti, and his sister, Josephine Beebe – all of King City, California.

Paul attended King City High School and was an outstanding athlete, lettering in four sports: Track, Football, Basketball and Baseball. He was inducted into the King City High School Athletic Hall of Fame along with his brother Elmer.

He attended San Jose State College and was in Hawaii as quarterback for the San Jose Spartans to play football for a benefit game and was in Waikiki on December 7th, 1941 during the attack on Pearl Harbor. His experiences in Hawaii are recorded in the book, “The Day of Infamy” by Walter Lord. He joined the Honolulu Police Force after Pearl Harbor and was put in a foxhole in Waikiki with a riot pistol to defend US soil if the Japanese invaded Hawaii. He met his wife, Virginia Wilkinson, coaching a Pop Warner football team as part of his service on the Police Force; Virginia Wilkinson was the sister of one of his players, Jim Wilkinson, Jr. He enlisted in the US Army in Hawaii after the attack on Pearl Harbor and served in the Pacific until his honorable discharge. He married Virginia Mae Wilkinson of Honolulu, Hawaii (deceased) and led a full life in Hawaii in the feed business, with Pacific Feeds, Purina Feeds, Foremost, Meadow Gold Farms; he actively supported the Hawaii Feed Trade Assoc. booths at the Hawaii State Fair, and later obtained his real estate license. He was a bowler and avid golfer who enjoyed playing golf on weekends and held several golfing trophies with the Waikiki Elks Club; he loved following his favorite local sports teams, including the University of Hawaii Rainbows football team and regularly attended the Aloha Bowls held in Hawaii. One of his most prized possessions was an actual piece of the goal post he got by running onto the field at the close of the Rose Bowl in Pasadena in 1972 when Stanford beat Michigan, 13 to 12.

Paul loved animals, raising turkeys, rabbits, chickens and even a steer and cow when his children were small. He had several beloved dogs as pets over the years as well. After retiring, he lived for many years at his home on Sunset Beach, Hawaii where he hosted many Elks Club Golf Awards Barbecues. His last residence was at the Oililua Eldercare Center in Waipahu, Hawaii where he received assisted living care.

Paul made many trips to “the Mainland” to visit his friends, family and to run the Paul Tognetti Ranch in King City; and traveled extensively with trips to Europe, to visit Tognetti family members in Locarno, Switzerland; to Australia and New Zealand, to China, to Japan; as well as to Maui, the Big Island of Hawaii, and Kauai as part of the feed business. He lived a full and active life, making many beloved memories of him for his family and his friends.

Prepared by Helen T. Snyder, Paul Tognetti’s Daughter