Carl F. Serra

October 31, 1947 - March 3, 2024

A man of many talents and a little mystery, Carl Serra died after a brief illness Sunday, March 3, with his family by his side. Carl was born in Waterbury, Connecticut on Halloween in 1947. Carl and his parents Ralph and Elvira Serra came to Columbus when Ralph attended The Ohio State University on the GI Bill. Carl’s family eventually settled in the Clintonville area where Carl attended Our Lady of Peace Elementary School and Bishop Watterson High School.

Always creative and always into cars, Carl fibbed about his age and became a stringer for the Columbus Dispatch covering racing while still in high school. After that he began his career in retail which lasted a lifetime. His retail journey took him to California where he worked at Bullock’s and I. Magnin department stores and as a side gig he photographed musicians performing at the still-famous Troubadour.

Carl eventually came back to Columbus and opened a men’s clothing store called Justin Thyme at The Worthington Square Shopping Center. The second Justin Thyme was opened in the former Galleria at Third & Broad in downtown Columbus. He then decided he wanted to branch out into women’s clothing and with his wife, Paula, opened Justine’s in the Galleria as well. After that, things started happening very fast for Carl with an additional chain of 23 off-price stores called Melons and seven Benetton stores covering five states.

The highlight of Carl’s retail career were the years he and his wife spent going to Morocco manufacturing their own clothing line, Fezz, which was sold all over the United States; also opening three Fezz stores in Arizona. During that time Carl was approached by one of the owners of The J. Peterman Catalogue to be their agent in North Africa sourcing out products. Several of the items Carl found for Peterman were some of their best sellers, including the Thuya Wood container surrounding Peterman’s famous cologne.

Over the years Carl expanded his interest in photography and had his photos featured twice on the Marriott Marquis billboard in Times Square as the Kodak Photo of The Day. He also received an award from the International Society of Amateur Photographers for outstanding achievement in amateur photography.

Always a great story teller and raconteur, Carl loved to regale everyone with his adventures in Morocco, Egypt and The Yucatan. Carl and his wife were known for their Christmas parties held on Christmas Day night. They went on for years and usually were attended by 50 or more people.

Carl was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph and Elvira Serra, his sister, Serena Serra and nephew, Ben Kehoe. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Paula Massenelli Serra, sons, Tony (Annastasia) Dupler and Evan (Elisa) Serra, daughter, Kate (Anthony) Santoro, and six grandsons: Thomas and Andrew Dupler, Enzo and Gino Serra, Jake Farley and Nathan Naoom.

Carl is also survived by his dear friends and fellow members of the “Italian Pontificators Club” who met every Thursday night, first at Cementos and lately at the Blarney Stone Tavern in Linworth: Mike Del Bianco, Joe Morrone, Anthony Quaranto and Mike Puccetti.

The services will take place Monday, March 11, at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, 10700 Liberty Road in Powell, Ohio, 43065. Visitation will be held at the church from 10 -11 followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11. A luncheon and Celebration of Life will immediately follow the service in the church hall.

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