Tish A. Kllanxhja
Marriages
Penny Chapin - 1950
In New York, New York
Burial Details
Obituaries
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 4D Death Notice - March 19, 2017
Tish Kllanxhja, 93, Grand Junction, died March 16, 2017, at the
Mantey Heights Care Center.
Services are planned at a later date.
She was a wine importer.
She is survived by two daughters, Piera Kllanxhja and Karen
Kllanxhja, both of Grand Junction; two grandchildren; and one
great-grandchild.
Memorial contributions to HopeWest, 3090B N 12th St., Grand
Junction 81506.
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 3D Obituary - April 16, 2017
Tish A. Kllanxhja, also
known as "Baba", beloved
father, grandfather, friend,
mentor and teacher, aged 93,
passed away peacefully on
March 16, 2017, after a long
and amazing life.
Tish was born on May 28,
1923 in Shokder, Albania, the
second son of Anthony
Kllanxhja and Josephina
Gurakngi. He attended Parochial School in Albania until age 15
when he left to study at the Catholic Seminary in Padova, Italy.
Upon graduation in 1940, he was awarded a scholarship to the
Pontifical Urban University, to study for the priesthood. At
University, Tish continued his study of languages, Sanskrit,
English, and French, as well as pursuing operatic voice and
playing soccer. He received both Bachelors and Masters
Degrees in Theology before terminating his academic life “to
make a decent living and make a better life.”
Tish moved to Florence, Italy to teach at the Orphanage
Macedonian del Grueppa. While in Florence, Tish met his future
wife, Penney Chapin, an American University student.
Tish and Penney married and immigrated to New York in 1950
where he continued his operatic training at the Metropolitan
Opera. During that time, Tish and Penney had two children,
Stefan and Piera. While in New York, Tish met Mario Lalli, a
member of the NY City Center Opera Company. Together they
started “Mario’s", an Italian Restaurant with vocal
entertainment, in Aspen, Colorado. Once in Colorado, Tish
knew he was home.
Upon moving to Denver, Tish became Manager of the
University Club in 1960 and opened Café Promenade in
Larimer Square in 1966. In 1985, he began importing Italian
Wines with the formation of Enotec Imports.
Tish moved to Grand Junction, Colorado in 2002 to “retire”
and be close to his family. Never one to sit still, Tish began
volunteering at The Literacy Center of Mesa County Libraries
as a tutor of English. He found teaching to be the "most
meaningful activity” and continued until May, 2016.
Tish is survived by his daughter, Piera; daughter-in-law, Karen
Kllanxhja (Michael O’Boyle); grandchildren, Alexander (Sonja)
and Cecily (Nick) and great-grandson and namesake Mathias.
He is predeceased by his son, Stefan and siblings, Alexander,
Cecilia, Regina, and Piero.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, May 13, 2017
at 538 Teller Avenue, Grand Junction, CO from 1 - 4:00 p.m.
Memorial contributions to HopeWest, 3090B North 12th St.,
Grand Junction, CO 81506 or The Literacy Center, Mesa
County Libraries Foundation, 443 N. 6th Street, Grand Junction,
CO 81501.
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 4A Death Notice - March 20, 2017
