Auto magnate Sam Pandolfo's remains return to St. Cloud
Sam Pandolfo, a man who tried to make St. Cloud a mecca for automobile manufacturing during the early 1900s, is coming home this weekend. But he's been dead for more than 50 years.
Pandolfo first came to St. Cloud in 1917 and founded the Pan Motor Co. It went out of business just four years later. And then Pandolfo did time in federal prison for fraud related to the company. He died in 1960, while hoping to make a new fortune in Alaska.
That's where he was buried until this year, but it's not where he wanted to end up.
In 1926, Pandolfo sent an open letter to the St. Cloud community.
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"I shall be with you again," he wrote. "For the information of all, when I die I desire to be buried here. I want my dust to mingle with yours."
With the help of Pandolfo's descendents, members of the St. Cloud Antique Auto Club will grant that wish on Friday.
They had Pandolfo's remains exhumed, cremated and shipped to St. Cloud.
"If we can bring back a good memory for Pandolfo, he'd love that," said Roy Bernick, a member of the club who owns one of just seven known Pan Cars still in existence.
Pandolfo's ashes will be re-buried in the St. Cloud suburb of Waite Park on Friday to kick off the club's annual car show.
