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Norm Perala passed away at home on Tuesday, July 18, 2023. He was born March 2, 1949 in Geneva and was a lifelong resident of his hometown. He was a graduate of Geneva High School where he held a school record as a hurdler and played varsity football for the Eagles. He was a graduate of Kent State University, taking his talents to the varsity indoor and outdoor track teams. Norm began his career at Farmer's Bank and rose to become Vice President of Commercial Loans before joining Skidmore & Chah, a leading area construction firm, as their Corporate Secretary. He was an entrepreneur who believed strongly in the local area, and he purchased the business from Skidmore & Chah when they moved their operations to Arizona, retaining all of its employees and renaming the business Gemini Contractors. Gemini completed hundreds of millions of dollars in local, state and federal projects throughout the tri-county area over a successful twenty-year period. Norm was a member of the Geneva Area City Schools Board of Education for two decades, serving at times as the Board President. He was a longtime member of the Geneva Rotary Club and the Ashtabula County Builders' Association and was a supporter of local treasures such as the Ashtabula Arts Center and the Geneva Tennis program, and he was proud to donate his time and resources to the expansion of the Bradshaw Courts in Geneva. Norm loved to read and travel with his family. He was devoted to his family, and his two sons, Reid and Brett, were his greatest source of pride. He was married for 51 years to his wife Jan, who survives him. Also surviving are his sons Reid (Alexis) and Brett (Kelsey), his sister, Susan McCarthy (Dennis) of Tarpon Springs, Florida and his brother, Brian Perala (Carol) of Warren, Ohio, his granddaughter, Sophia Rose, and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Steve Perala. Norm was a kind, generous and thoughtful man who was beloved by his family and friends. |
