Ivan Esteban Piola
August 26, 1959 — September 23, 2024
Ivan Esteban Piola, 65, of Birmingham, Alabama, passed away on September 23, 2024 after a year-long battle with leukemia. He was preceded in death by his parents Rafael Esteban Piola Vega and Nora Margarita Guzman de Piola. He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Regina “Gina” Latham Piola; his four children, Alexander (Casey); Nicolas (Sara); Catherine (Hanson) Schultz; and Christopher. He was a loving Papá to his six grandchildren, Preston, James, Charlie, and Nora Schultz; and Jonathan and William Piola. Ivan is also survived by his brother Fausto (Amarilis), sister Mariela Piola, and many nieces and nephews, whom he loved and to whom he imparted much wisdom. The funeral will be held at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church - 1728 Oxmoor Road, Homewood, Alabama 35209 on Friday, September 27, 2024. The visitation will begin at 10:00 am with a Mass to follow at 11:00 am.
Born in Santiago, Dominican Republic, Ivan led a life of wide travels, accomplishments, and interests. Throughout his youth, he and his family lived in his native Dominican Republic, as well as the Bahamas; Colombia; Puerto Rico; Orange, TX; and Orlando, FL, before making his permanent home in Birmingham. Returning to his home country as an adult to visit his Dominican family members was one of the great joys of his life. Along with his wife and children, he also traveled annually with his Beach Family to Dauphin Island, where he could be found on the beach at “Beer Thirty,” cigar and beverage in hand.
Ivan was a pillar of the local soccer community, beginning with his time playing at Berry High School and continuing throughout his adult life. While in high school, he helped start the Mountain Brook Soccer Club. His collegiate soccer career began at Jefferson State, and then he was recruited by the University of Alabama at Birmingham to join their inaugural varsity soccer team, with which he played for two years. He went on to coach the Berry High School soccer team, his children's soccer teams, and countless other competitive and developmental teams. For almost fifty years, he coached hundreds of youth soccer players, leaving a lasting legacy throughout the Birmingham area. While studying business at UAB, he also founded the university’s Alpha Tau Omega chapter as their first president, and remained involved with its activities for many years. As one of the first to establish Subway restaurants in Birmingham, Ivan was a pioneer in the local business community and ultimately developed over twenty Subway locations throughout the area.
In his leisure time, Ivan’s interests were varied and lively. Cultivating a large group of friends, Ivan and his wife Gina transitioned their Friday nights lights of watching children play sports into Friday Night Beverages, during which he entertained guests with his quick wit and unique perspective on any and all topics of conversation. Ivan connected with others through stories, and is especially remembered by his children’s friends– many of whom affectionately knew him as “iDaddy”-- as the purveyor of wisdom and life lessons. He also practiced generous hospitality through a love of cooking that he discovered later in life, especially enjoying researching and experimenting with new recipes for his family during their Sunday night Family Dinners. One would believe soccer was Ivan's great sports love, but baseball was actually his first. He continued his love and support for this sport through the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team, and he never missed a game– or an opportunity to showcase the accomplishments of his highly successful fantasy baseball team.
Ivan was a lifelong faithful Catholic and a member of Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church throughout his adult life. He served on the Parish Council and walked with his mother-in-law through the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults. Through his witness of faith, four adults found their home in the Catholic Church, as well as his four children and six grandchildren who were baptized Catholic. With a rosary always present in his pocket and his friend St. Jude, Ivan found great comfort and strength in his faith throughout his illness.
Ivan’s family would like to extend heartfelt appreciation for the kindness and loving care shown to him by the doctors, nurses, and staff of the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit and Hematology Oncology Special Unit at UAB Hospital. They would also like to thank their many friends who prayed for them and supported them throughout the last year.
In lieu of flowers, the Piola family asks that you would consider making a donation to Our Lady of Sorrows School or to Leukemia Research at the UAB O’Neal Cancer Center (click “Choose Fund” and scroll down to select “Leukemia Research- O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center”).
OLS School - https://donorbox.org/ols-school-general-donation
Leukemia Research at O'Neal comprehensive cancer center
https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1881/giving19/interior.aspx?sid=1881&gid=3&pgid=893&cid=2129
The funeral will be live-streamed at https://www.ourladyofsorrows.com/live-stream .
Born in Santiago, Dominican Republic, Ivan led a life of wide travels, accomplishments, and interests. Throughout his youth, he and his family lived in his native Dominican Republic, as well as the Bahamas; Colombia; Puerto Rico; Orange, TX; and Orlando, FL, before making his permanent home in Birmingham. Returning to his home country as an adult to visit his Dominican family members was one of the great joys of his life. Along with his wife and children, he also traveled annually with his Beach Family to Dauphin Island, where he could be found on the beach at “Beer Thirty,” cigar and beverage in hand.
Ivan was a pillar of the local soccer community, beginning with his time playing at Berry High School and continuing throughout his adult life. While in high school, he helped start the Mountain Brook Soccer Club. His collegiate soccer career began at Jefferson State, and then he was recruited by the University of Alabama at Birmingham to join their inaugural varsity soccer team, with which he played for two years. He went on to coach the Berry High School soccer team, his children's soccer teams, and countless other competitive and developmental teams. For almost fifty years, he coached hundreds of youth soccer players, leaving a lasting legacy throughout the Birmingham area. While studying business at UAB, he also founded the university’s Alpha Tau Omega chapter as their first president, and remained involved with its activities for many years. As one of the first to establish Subway restaurants in Birmingham, Ivan was a pioneer in the local business community and ultimately developed over twenty Subway locations throughout the area.
In his leisure time, Ivan’s interests were varied and lively. Cultivating a large group of friends, Ivan and his wife Gina transitioned their Friday nights lights of watching children play sports into Friday Night Beverages, during which he entertained guests with his quick wit and unique perspective on any and all topics of conversation. Ivan connected with others through stories, and is especially remembered by his children’s friends– many of whom affectionately knew him as “iDaddy”-- as the purveyor of wisdom and life lessons. He also practiced generous hospitality through a love of cooking that he discovered later in life, especially enjoying researching and experimenting with new recipes for his family during their Sunday night Family Dinners. One would believe soccer was Ivan's great sports love, but baseball was actually his first. He continued his love and support for this sport through the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team, and he never missed a game– or an opportunity to showcase the accomplishments of his highly successful fantasy baseball team.
Ivan was a lifelong faithful Catholic and a member of Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church throughout his adult life. He served on the Parish Council and walked with his mother-in-law through the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults. Through his witness of faith, four adults found their home in the Catholic Church, as well as his four children and six grandchildren who were baptized Catholic. With a rosary always present in his pocket and his friend St. Jude, Ivan found great comfort and strength in his faith throughout his illness.
Ivan’s family would like to extend heartfelt appreciation for the kindness and loving care shown to him by the doctors, nurses, and staff of the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit and Hematology Oncology Special Unit at UAB Hospital. They would also like to thank their many friends who prayed for them and supported them throughout the last year.
In lieu of flowers, the Piola family asks that you would consider making a donation to Our Lady of Sorrows School or to Leukemia Research at the UAB O’Neal Cancer Center (click “Choose Fund” and scroll down to select “Leukemia Research- O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center”).
OLS School - https://donorbox.org/ols-school-general-donation
Leukemia Research at O'Neal comprehensive cancer center
https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1881/giving19/interior.aspx?sid=1881&gid=3&pgid=893&cid=2129
The funeral will be live-streamed at https://www.ourladyofsorrows.com/live-stream .
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