DEAN FELIX MONTICELLI

Dean Felix Monticelli passed away peacefully at home, in hospice care, with his family on March 17th, 2026, just a month after his 90th birthday. Dean was born on February 11, 1936 to Amadio Francesco Monticelli and Zelinda Catherine Zanetti. He grew up in Lakeland NY cherishing time spent with his beloved Nonno and Nonna who lived next door. He loved to hunt and fish in the local area. He graduated from Solvay High School in 1955. He was in active duty between 1959 and 1964 with the 108th Tactical Unit of the Air Force at Hancock Field and travelled to Berlin for the Berlin Crisis. After returning from service he opened a small archery shop in Lakeland and began competing in target archery which he continued into the 70’s with groups like the Professional Archery Association, the New York State Archery Association, and the Onondaga Archers. He met the love of his life, Karen Stasko, who also enjoyed competitive archery with him and they were wed in 1966. In 1971 he, Karen and their business partners Neil and Alice Razzone built and opened Wildwood Archery Center and Club in Eldridge NY where they worked, lived and raised their family until 1991. Dean was well known, respected and loved in the archery and hunting world and was given the opportunity to also work for Oneida Labs Bow Company in Syracuse (Eagle Bow) as Production Manager from the mid 1980’s through 1998. He truly loved what he did for work so he always said “it never felt like work at all”. Dean was a life-long radio control model airplane enthusiast and builder when he found the time. He used his incredible attention to detail and precision to build beautiful, very detailed scale models that won many prizes in various competitions. He was featured many times in magazine and news articles about his model planes and even has one WW1 model plane in the Pima County, AZ Air Museum. He belonged to a Radio Control club near Syracuse and after retirement, The Green Valley R/C Flyers in Arizona. In 1998 he retired and pursued his lifelong dream of moving to the south west to Arizona. He loved western movies especially those starring Randolph Scott. He and Karen enjoyed 25 peaceful, sunny, warm years living the retiree dream in Green Valley. He enjoyed riding his bicycle daily into his 80’s, taking the dog out for walks and working on planes. Dean and Karen were both very devout Christians and were communicants of The Lady of the Valley, Roman Catholic Church for 25 years in AZ, Our Lady of Peace while in Lakeland, St. Patrick’s of Jordan and St. Joseph’s of Camillus while in Elbridge. Dean cared for his beloved wife in her final years and following her death came back to NY to stay with his daughter Rachel and two of his three grandchildren. His final two and half years, he was spoiled by his family with good meals and a comfy life. Rachel made sure to make his favorite polenta potate, the traditional dish of his family who were of Tyrolean heritage, many times for him in the way he taught her to make it. His daughter Irena took him one final time to Arizona for the winter of 2025. Dean is survived by his brother, James (Cathy) Monticelli, of Lakeland; his sister, Linda Sims, of Baldwinsville; his daughter, Rachel (Patrick) Monticelli-Turner, of Plattekill, NY, his daughter, Irena (Jayaram K. Udupa) Monticelli, of Pennsylvania; son-in-law, Joe Mondo, of Maryland, many nieces and nephews and three grandchildren. He was predeceased by his parents, his beloved wife Karen, his babies, Christian and Trena as well as daughter, Felicia, and nephew James. There are no calling hours. Private services and burial with Military Honors were held in Assumption Cemetery, Syracuse. BAGOZZI TWINS FUNERAL HOME, Solvay, NY has care of arrangements. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the American Diabetes Association. Please share online tributes and memories at www.bagozzitwins.com.

DEAN FELIX MONTICELLI

February 11, 1936 - March 17, 2026