PRICE- Franklin W. “Jiggs” Gigliotti, age 94, passed away peacefully on Sept. 28, 2008 in Price. He was born Aug. 14, 1914 in Hiawatha to Felice and Maria Concetta Perri-Gigliotti from Decalaturo, Calabria, Italy. He was married in Las Vegas to Inez Thomas of Clear Creek who died in 2003. Her family was from Magers, Greece.
Jiggs was best known for operating the Center Texaco Service on Carbon and Main in Price with his brother-in-law, Bill Thomas. Before that he had worked as a bartender and truck driver in San Francisco and Los Angeles. From there, he returned to Carbon County working as a coal miner and later drove truck for Texaco. He then operated the Texaco Bulk Plant and was the Baroid distributor for the drilling fields.
As a teenager, he played an “Italian Waiter” in the movie “Night Flyer”. Although he liked hunting, Frank’s greatest love was fishing. Whenever he had the opportunity, he would spend time at the local fishing spots.
In addition to fishing the local lakes and streams, he enjoyed deep sea fishing off the coast of Washington and in the Gulf of Mexico. When not fishing or working, Frank would hang out in the local clubs and coffee shops.
In addition to English, he spoke Italian, Spanish, and some Greek, and so he always had friends to visit with. For many years Frank was active in the Notre Dame Catholic parish, volunteering his time to put in the floors for Notre Dame High School, working the Catholic Carnival and he always maintained the parish vehicles.
Survived by his sister, Emma Battagliotti, Ogden; son, Bill Gigliotti, Price; grandson, Derek (Mi-Kyung Kim) Gigliotti, Las Vegas, Nev. Preceded in death by his wife, Inez Gigliotti; and daughter, Debra Gigliotti-Barney.
Funeral Service, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2008, 2 p.m. Mitchell Funeral Home. Family will be at Mitchell’s one hour prior to service. Committal, Cliffview Cemetery, Price.
Jiggs Gigliotti
"Jiggs Gigliotti"