Ronnie James Dio

Dio in 2007, photo by Prphotos

Birth Name: Ronald James Padavona

Date of Birth: July 10, 1942

Place of Birth: Portsmouth, New Hampshire, U.S.

Date of Death: May 16, 2010

Place of Death: Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Ethnicity:
*75% Italian
*25% English

Ronnie James Dio was an American heavy metal singer singer, songwriter, and musician. He was the frontman and vocalist of heavy metal band Dio, and also performed with rock bands Elf, Rainbow, and Black Sabbath, and heavy metal supergroup Heaven & Hell. His other musical projects include collective fundraiser Hear ‘n Aid. He was widely hailed as the most powerful singer in heavy metal, renowned for his voice and for popularizing the “devil horns” hand gesture in metal culture. One of the last songs he recorded was titled “Metal Will Never Die.”

Ronnie was the son of Anna E. and Pasquale “Patrick”/”Pat” A./M. Padavona. His paternal grandparents, and maternal grandfather, were Italian. He was married to manager Wendy Gaxiola, until his death. He has a son, novelist Dan Padavona, with his former wife Loretta Berardi.

Ronnie’s paternal grandfather was named Antonio Padavona.

Ronnie’s paternal grandmother was named Erminia/Ernine.

Ronnie’s maternal grandfather was named Paul M. Gulini.

Ronnie’s maternal grandmother was Rena O. Burdick (the daughter of Nathaniel Clifton “Thannie” Burdick and Pearl L. Champion). Rena was born in New York, and had English ancestry. Nathaniel was the son of Clark G. Burdick and Eliza A. “Ella” Pierce.

Sources: Ronnie’s father on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Genealogy of Ronnie Jame Dio (focusing on his mother’s side) – https://www.wikitree.com

Ronnie’s mother on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Genealogy of Ronnie’s maternal grandmother, Rena O. (Burdick) Gulini (focusing on her father’s side) – http://www.findagrave.com