Joe Izzi The Founder And First Coach Of Clarion Area Bobcats Wrestling Has Passed Away
Joe Izzi, former teacher at Clarion Area High School and the founder and first coach of the Bobcats wrestling program died on Monday, September 5th, after a long battle with cancer at 78 years old.
Coach Izzi, starred in football, wrestling and track and field at Redbank Valley, graduating in 1961.
He wrestled at Clarion State College, but his career ended as a result of injury from an auto accident.
He taught at Social Studies at Clarion Area from 1967 to 1983 and founded the wrestling team in 1970. He coached the Cats from 1970 to 1974 and again from 1980 to 1984, coaching a number of state caliber grapplers.
Coach Izzi was a friendly man who touched the lives of students, athletes and others.
Coach Izzi was honored with a number of Bobcat Wrestling elites during the “Legends Return Night” celebration in 2016.
He was involved in various business ventures including Izzi Village and Izzi’s Ristorante.
Survivors include his wife, YongFen; stepdaughter, Kelly Caro, and two sisters, Catherine Swartz and Lucille Souders.
He was preceded in death by his parents Mike and Irene Carvillano Izzi, brothers Andrew, Clarence, Arthur and Bert and sisters Joan, Teresa and Mary.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Friday, September 9, 2022, at the St. Charles Catholic Church, 201 Washington Street, New Bethlehem. Father Samuel Bungo, parish priest at St. Charles, will serve as celebrant.
Interment will follow in the St. Charles Catholic Cemetery in New Bethlehem.
Clarion Sports Zone joins this entire community in mourning this loss. Condolences to Coach Izzi’s wife YongFen and the entire family.
(Link to the complete obituary.)