Paul Varacalli

December 22, 1936 - November 6, 2025

Paul Varacalli, a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away on November 6, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of love, family, service, and enduring values.

Paul is survived by his beloved wife, Sandra Joan Varacalli (Simington), with whom he shared 69 years of marriage filled with love, family, travel, and countless memories. He is also survived by his oldest daughter, Michele Varacalli-Shoemake (late husband Randall Shoemake); his youngest daughter, Paula Varacalli-Rose (husband William Rose); his grandchildren, Nicole McCombs (husband Domonique McCombs), Jennifer Shoemake, William Rose (wife Jamie Rose), Joseph Rose (wife Alexandra Rose), and Kathryn Rose (husband Jett Bottarini); and his great-grandchildren, Malia McCombs, Josselyn Shoemake, Makoa McCombs, and Imogene Rose. He was preceded in death by his beloved son, Paul Michael “Mike” Varacalli.

Born in Herrin, Illinois to Italian immigrant parents, Paul was extremely proud of his heritage. As a first-generation American, he embraced the values his parents instilled in him—hard work, family, community, generosity, and fairness. Those values guided his life and shaped his commitment to family, service, and helping others. He believed in standing up for what was right and treating everyone with dignity and respect.

Family was always at the center of Paul’s world. He cherished Sandy, his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and took immense pride in each of them. His kindness, strength, generosity, and acceptance of others continue to live on through his family.

Paul carried those values into a nearly three-decade career in organized labor and public service. Known for his quick wit, sarcastic sense of humor, and unmistakable gift of gab, he began his union career in 1967 as Executive Director of United Public Employees Local 390, which had just 300 members. Through his leadership, Paul helped merge several local unions and build what became SEIU Local 790.

Under his leadership, the union grew into one of the Bay Area’s largest and most influential public-sector unions. By September 1997, as Paul prepared to step down, his local served 23,000 members across roughly 70 Bay Area jurisdictions, including public-sector employees in San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Richmond, and BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit).

A passionate advocate and skilled negotiator, Paul fought for fair wages, benefits, workplace protections, and workers’ rights. He had a remarkable ability to bring people together and find common ground, even during difficult labor disputes. His commitment to working people eventually took him to Geneva, Switzerland, where he participated in international labor advocacy. During their time in Switzerland, Paul and Sandy also embraced their love of travel and explored much of the world together.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Paul will be remembered for his sarcastic wit, unending curiosity, and love of history, current events, travel, and good food. He was genuinely interested in people, different cultures, and diversity. He listened, connected, and could strike up a conversation with just about anyone. His curiosity naturally extended to politics and activism, where he advocated for change and raised awareness about issues he believed mattered.

After 69 years of marriage, Paul leaves behind a lifetime of love shared with Sandy and a family that knew him simply as Dad and Gpa—always supportive, always encouraging us to reach for our dreams, and always respectful and accepting of others.

His legacy lives on in the values he passed down, the people and causes he championed, and, most of all, the family he loved so dearly.

He will be deeply missed and forever remembered.