Carl B. Pallaver, son of Italian immigrants, Veteran, Husband, Author, Scientist, Manager, Inventor, Millionaire, Politician, Poet, Civil Rights activist, Civil servant, Lifelong Democrat, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. June 4, 1932 to September 17, 2025.

Carl was born in Hazelton, PA, a mining town, to Eugenio and Pauline (Piazzi) Pallaver. His parents immigrated in the 1920s from the town of Castelfondo in the Trentino-Alto Adige region of Italy.  As children ‘Carlo’ and his older brother ‘Wilhelm’ (William) spoke Tyrol, an Italian-German dialect.  Carl was raised first in Hazelton, where most of his aunts and uncles lived, and then Philadelphia.  Carl came from humble beginnings.  As he said later in life “At the time I thought we were like most others, but now I appreciate how poor we were.”   Growing up in the depths of the great depression, his mom died when he was 15 years old.

Carl met the love of his life, Jeanne, while working at Philadelphia’s Snellenburg’s department store.  They were married for 46 years until the time of Jeanne’s passing.  While dating Carl was drafted and spent two years in the U.S. Army serving in Korea and Japan.  At the time, he was trained and worked on diesel engines.  Carl and Jeanne’s first home was in one of the first planned integrated communities called Concord Park, PA.  Carl was a member of the NAACP and helped with the integration of neighborhoods, pools and public places during the late 50s and early 60s in PA.

Carl was, for most of his working life a first line supervisor (at Princeton Laboratories, Argonne National Lab, and Fermi Lab).  He felt this management position was a truly important position where training, hiring, firing, safety, productivity and problem resolution issues occurred.  In industries where the value-add is largely based on staff, the competence of first line management is often more important than the competence of CEO.  Carl chronicled his experiences, and skills, in his book A Manager’s Reflections & Experiences ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1502969231.  He received multiple patents while working in particle research.

Although Carl constantly was solving problems and developing solutions for the high energy physics developments where he worked, he was also always looking for the proverbial pot of gold with a product development of his own.  Some of his noteworthy efforts included designer mailboxes, fiberglass landscape lighting systems, a pedal operated exercise machine and raised garden beds.

Carl Pallaver believed strongly in public service as a requirement for participation in a democracy.  Along with campaigning for many politicians throughout his life, he served as a Park District Commissioner in Woodridge IL and also served as a bank commissioner at Argonne Credit Union for many years.

Carl loved life and was always busy with a project or activity.  He had a very creative mind and could truly look “outside of the box”.  He was loved and will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

Family:

Jeanne Pallaver, wife (deceased)

William Pallaver, brother (deceased)

Children:

Matt and Agnes Pallaver

Sandra Pallaver, daughter

Kathy and Gerry Rinella

Grandchildren: Vincent and Heather Pallaver

Neil Pallaver and Jennifer Stein

Corey Rinella

Benjamin Rinella

Great grandchildren:

Daphne Pallaver

Martin Pallaver

Whitney Pallaver

Bodhi Pallaver

Interment Tuesday 10:30 A.M. at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery, Elwood, Illinois. Arrangements entrusted to Cappetta’s West Suburban Funeral Home. 630-852-8000 or westsuburbanfh.com