Libero (Lee) Cretarolo's Obituary
Lee Cretarolo lived a full and successful 87 years as musician, business executive and parent, beginning in Haverhill, Massachusetts with short post-World War II stays in Fresno and Sacramento before settling in Palo Alto in the home where he lived for 54 years until passing away on June 21. A frequent golfer and past member of Palo Alto Hills Country Club, he spent his professional life as a senior executive of American Building Maintenance Company, headquartered in San Francisco, dealing with sales and operations across much of Northern California, frequently handling union negotiations and in his retirement, serving until recently as a member of the Service Employees International Union trust fund Board of Trustees. He was a gracious host and delighted in greeting people with a hearty and self-effacing, 'Hi, I'm Lee Cretarolo ' I'm a janitor'. Lee married Effie Cameron of Pangwich, Utah, in 1942 and spent his early post-World War II service years playing bass in small jazz groups; he and Effie raised a daughter, Sandra of Palo Alto, and sons Jon of Bainbridge Island, Washington, Marc of Portland Oregon, and Eric of San Carlos. Effie passed away in 1990; the family now numbers eight grandchildren and four great great-grandchildren, in addition to Lee's older brother Mat Mathews of Berkeley; he also shared his last six years with his full-time caregiver, Fono Pouvalu. A private service is planned.
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