Albert H. Carollo, 85, of Iron Mountain, hit the end of the trail Friday, December 29, 2006, at Dickinson County Memorial Hospital. Albert was born October 29, 1921, in Iron Mountain, son of the late Bert and Annie (Manincor) Carollo. He attended Iron Mountain High School and graduated with the class of 1939. He married the former Jane Schroeder on July 27, 1947, in Sturgeon Bay, Wisc. Jane preceded him in death on August 25, 2000, after 52 years of marriage. Albert joined the Navy and served in World War II attaining the rank of Pharmacist Mate Second Class. He was a medic for a Marine detachment on the island of Espiratu Santo. During his time in the New Hebrides area of the South Pacific, a Navy lieutenant shipmate of his, James Michener, and Albert became friends. Albert became the model for the character, Adder Brine Benny, in Michener's 1948 Pulitzer Prize winning novel, Tales of the South Pacific. After his discharge from the Navy, he was a member of the Naval Reserve. On returning home, he helped his father run the family gas station and Bert's Motel. They then constructed the Rancho Motel on Iron Mountain's north side. In the late 1950's, along with his brother Eugene, they constructed and operated the Holiday Motel which they operated until 1982. They also ran the former Mine Shaft restaurant adjacent to the motel. In 1958, Albert and Eugene, along with James Goulette, started the Iron Mountain Iron Mine, one of the states top tourist attractions and a state historical site, which is still family owned. As an offshoot of the Iron Mine, Albert and Eugene operated mine themed attractions at the Illinois State Fair, Wisconsin State Fair, and the Big E Exposition in Massachusetts. With his nephew, Dean Allan Carollo, they operated an orange juice concession at the Dickinson County Fair and Wisconsin State Fair. Albert enjoyed traveling with his son, Dennis, train watching, carnivals, and circuses. He was a Life Member of the Iron Mountain Elks Club, UCT, Immaculate Conception Parish, Showmen's League of America, and Outdoor Amusement Business Association. He was a former Dickinson County Fair Board member and enjoyed his yearly jaunts to Las Vegas and Gibsonton, Fla., for various carnival conventions and seeing old and dear friends, Msgr. R.J. McCarthy, "The Carney Priest" from Watertown, N.Y. and Tom and Christine Powell, Nashville, Tenn. He enjoyed going on "Pasty Runs" with his nephew, Gene K. Carollo, and starred as Toivo Franklin in a commercial for The Pasty Oven in Quinnesec. Albert was also featured in a documentary made for Italian television, "Bread from Underground", which showed how immigrants from the Trentino region of Italy came to the United States to work in the mines. His favorite words of wisdom were "It's nice to be important but more important to be nice." He is survived by his son, Dennis Carollo, Iron Mountain; one brother, Eugene (Judy Erickson) Carollo, Iron Mountain; brothers and sisters-in-law, Robert (Sherron) Schroeder, Kenosha, Wisc., Betty (Roy) Whipple, Sturgeon Bay, Wisc., Beverly Carollo, Iron Mountain, Rex Lamour, Ishpeming, Mich.; numerous nieces, nephews; great friends Millie Giannetti, Vulcan, Mich., Jean Oehldrich, Wausuakee, Wisc., and Ralph Calcaterra, Atherton, Calif. Visitation will be Tuesday, January 2, 2007, 9:30 am – 11:00 am, at Jacobs Funeral Home, Iron Mountain. Prayers will be at 10:45 am, at the funeral home. The Funeral Mass will be 11:00 am at Immaculate Conception Church, Iron Mountain, Msgr. James Kaczmarek will officiate. Burial will be in Cemetery Park, Iron Mountain. Memorials can be made to the Carmelite Sisters of Iron Mountain or the American Cancer Society's Hope Lodge, 611 West Doege Street, Marshfield, Wisconsin, 54449. Friends may leave condolences and tributes to Albert's family online at www.jacobsfuneralhomes.com The Jacobs Funeral Home of Iron Mountain is serving the family.