Obituary of Floyd W. Fanale

Floyd W. Fanale, 82, of Jamestown passed away at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, August 26, 2014, in UPMC Hamot Medical Center, Erie, PA. A lifelong area resident, he was born November 11, 1931 in the Town of Busti, a son of the late Guido D. and Ione R. Sweet Fanale. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army serving from July 22, 1952 to June 15, 1954. Before his retirement in 2013, he owned and operated Fanale's Used Cars in Jamestown, for over 50 years. Floyd's greatest passion was race car driving. He began his racing career with his brother "Bud", racing at the former Penny Royal Speedway in the late 1940's and continued in to the 1950's racing at the former Jamestown Speedway. At one time, all three of the Fanale brothers, Floyd, Bud and Vern, were racing at Stateline Speedway. Floyd had a 30 year career racing at Stateline Speedway. His first race at Stateline was in 1960 and his last feature checkered flag was in 1986. His first win at Stateline was in 1961, but his biggest win was in 1962 when he was the first winner of the inaugural Dean Layfield Memorial Race. He continued racing at Stateline until 1996. In the 1960's Floyd drove for car owner Julian Buesink both locally and in the ARCA Race Series. Surviving are three daughters, Laurie L. (James) Harvey of Corry, PA, Deborah L. (Glenn) Hanson of Gerry, NY, Janet L. Lanphere of GA, six grandchildren, David M. Keem, Jr. of Sagertown, PA, Sarah A. Bilco, Matthew L. Hanson, Elizabeth G. Hanson both of Gerry, Ashley L. Lanphere of GA, Christine M. Lanphere of New York City, six great grandchildren, several nieces and nephews as well as his pride and joy, his cat "Beesy". Besides his parents he was preceded in death by his wife the former Janice C. Washburg Fanale whom he married November 25, 1951 and who died July 1, 2006, two brothers, Laverne C. Fanale, Wesley G. "Bud" Fanale and a sister Carmella I. Seth. The funeral will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday in the Lind Funeral Home. Rev. Donald E. Ray, retired chaplain of W.C.A. Hospital will officiate. Burial will be in the Fentonville Cemetery. Friends will be received from 5-8 p.m. Friday in the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Chautauqua County Humane Society, 2825 Strunk Rd. Jamestown, NY 14701.