Joseph F. Ciavardone

Joseph F. Ciavardone, 81 Airline Pilot Lakeland " Joe F. Ciavardone, 81, was born in Somerville, MA on February 3, 1930. Shortly before graduating high school, he joined the US Navy Reserve. Flying on weekends, he went on to graduate from Boston University""s College of Aviation Engineering in 1951 and received further training as a flight engineer in Tulsa, OK. Joe served in the US Air Force during the Korean War as a flight engineer aboard a B-29 super fortress and upon discharge used his GI Bill to complete his airline pilot training. In 1957, Joe joined Eastern Airlines. Over the course of his career, he went on to fly for many airlines, including The Flying Tiger Cargo Airline, where he transported UN cargo to the Congo, and Lufthansa in Germany. During the Vietnam War, Joe spent 7 years with World Airways, flying in and out of the Far East. After Vietnam, he joined National Airlines, which merged with Pan AM. Joe retired from a 33-year flying career in 1990, after accumulating over 27,000 hours and visiting over 90 countries. He always said that his proudest moment was standing on the ramp in the Philippines in March 1973, watching the last load of POWs return from Hanoi. Joe loved to play golf and gin rummy and was a member of Lone Palm Golf Club for 30 years. Unknown to many of his friends, he was an accomplished jazz saxophonist. Growing up in a musical family, Joe received instruction in classical clarinet and had two uncles that were members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Joe earned money to help pay for college as a saxophonist with many jazz combos in the Boston area. He always said that if he didn""t love aviation so much, he would have been a musician. Joe passed away peacefully on Sunday, October 9, 2011, after succumbing to cancer. He is survived by his wife, Carole, sons, Jason and Michael, daughter-in-law Jody, and grandson Carson. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Josephs Catholic Church on Wednesday, October 26, 2011 at 10:30 AM. Memorials may be sent to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 840692, Dallas, TX. 75284 or to the American Cancer Society, 1920 South Florida Ave., Lakeland, FL. 33803. Service: 10/26/2011 St. Joseph Catholic Church St. Joseph Catholic Church St. Joseph Catholic Church Visitation: 10/26/2011 St. Joseph Catholic Church