Lawrence J. Panaro

Lawrence “Larry” Panaro passed away peacefully on May 29, 2024 at the age of 95. He was the beloved husband of 72 years to Lois Panaro (nee Kessen).

Larry was an amazing Dad to seven daughters: Ann (Steve) Florian, Jan (Robert) Paffinger, Nancy (John) Kozak, Donna (Gordon) Brown, Paula (James) Cole, Patricia (Scott) Sturgill, and Maria (Greg) Pearson. He was also a doting grandfather to 20 grandchildren and 25 great grandchildren.

Born in Cincinnati, Larry was the oldest son of Frank and Thecla (nee Gannon) Panaro and older brother to the late Frank (“Toby”) Panaro. He attended St. Lawrence school and Elder High School where he made life-long friends as a proud member of the Elder Class of '47. Larry grew up in the “Little Italy” neighborhood on Queen City Ave. with his many cousins, aunts and uncles. As a child, he watched the construction of both the Union Terminal and the Western Hills Viaduct. When reminiscing about baseball, his favorite sport, he described his experiences at Crosley Field where he witnessed Babe Ruth bat against the Reds.  

For most of his professional life, Larry was a realtor in the Western Hills area.  He was an office manager at Wilson Realty and later opened his own brokerage business as a principal of Panaro Realty. He ended his long and successful career with Hoeting Realtors.

Always quick with a snappy come-back, Larry brought joy to many lives – be it his numerous children, grandchildren, neighbors, nieces or nephews. Competitive to the end, he taught (and coached) his daughters to throw a baseball and was a life-long fan of Elder football. His golf outings at Perry Park with his friends were legendary. Above all, Larry was proudest of his beautiful wife and seven girls. He passed along to them his love of gardening and music. He rarely missed a sporting event, birthday or graduation of his numerous grandkids. He will be truly missed.        

Family and friends are kindly invited to the Visitation at Radel Funeral Home, 650 Neeb Road on Friday June 7 from 5:00-7:30 p.m. A Memorial Mass will be held at St. Lawrence Church, 3680 Warsaw Ave. on Saturday, June 8 at 10:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Larry’s memory to Seton High School, Elder High School, St. Lawrence, or Hospice of Cincinnati.