Guadagnoli dies at age 75
Gallup loses both a critic and advocate

By Bill Donovan
Staff Writer

Nello Guadagnoli

GALLUP — He never ran for office and you wouldn't find Nello Guadagnoli on a lot of city government committees but over the last half century, he would have an impact on the lives of many Gallupians.

"He was one of the people who made Gallup what it is," said Mayor Bob Rosebrough.

Guadagnoli, 75, who owned and ran Mullarky's Camera Shop since the 1950s, died Thursday of an apparent heart attack at his home.

His wife, Shan, said in the two weeks before his death, Guadagnoli suffered from flu symptoms that were so severe that he went to the doctors twice.

Both times, he was told that the coughing and flu symptoms were very common at this time of year and many people in this area had it and he should just allow it to take its course.

He was told to just take over-the-counter medicines and on the morning of his death, Shan Guadagnoli said, he was on his way to the doctors for another visit.

He had already suffered two heart attacks, she said, and had just gotten up from the chair where he was resting and had walked two or three feet to the door when he just fell.

"He hit his head so hard on the floor that his glasses broke," she said, getting a cut on his forehead.

She was later told that he had suffered another heart attack but she said she doesn't know if the heart attack caused him to fall or whether the trauma of hitting the floor is what caused the heart attack.

Shan and Nello Guadagnoli had just celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary.

"He was a wonderful husband," she said. "He was a lot of fun."

Nello Guadagnoli was the type of person that made friends easily and didn't go unnoticed in a crowd.

"He was one of the many people who gave our city a flare," said Rosebrough who added that he found him to be a "vibrant, strong-willed person who was never shy to share his opinions on a variety of subjects."

Pat Butler knew him from the days when his printing shop and supply store was downtown and Guadagnoli would corner other downtown business people to complain about some of the problems they were facing.

Over the years, he complained a great deal about the parking problems downtown and especially about a decision made by the city to get rid of the parking on the northside of Historic Route 66, which he said only eliminated a number of the parking for his customers.

Butler said Guadagnoli was also a major advocate of community policing and having foot patrols in the downtown area.

Although he wasn't involved to any great extent in the city government, he did get involved in a number of local organizations, serving on the board of directors at times for the Gallup Inter-tribal Indian Ceremonial, as well as being a member of the Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club, the Twenty-Thirty Club and the Sierra Club.

Another downtown businessman, Bill Richardson, knew Guadagnoli since he came back from the service during World War II and went to work for Mullarky's.

When he purchased the company and moved it to the corner of 66 and Second Street, Richardson said the two of them would often meet for coffee and talk about issues facing the city.

"He had a vast knowledge of photography and art," Richardson said. Not only did he operate the camera shop, but he would eventually establish the Kiva Gallery next door to sell Native American art.

Over the years he would own a vast array of artwork from a number of Navajo artists, purchasing many of them when the artist was just beginning his or her career.

"I always felt that Nello was a guy who knew what he was talking about," Richardson said, no matter what the topic was.

Two of his favorite topics were his family and golf, Richardson said.

"I really enjoyed his fellowship," he said. "I'm really going to miss him."

And so will the rest of Gallup.

His funeral/mass is 10 a.m. Tuesday at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Gallup. A rosary will be at Rollie Mortuary's Palm Chapel beginning at 7 p.m. Monday.