erard Maglio of Palm Harbor, Florida. Was born on October 17, 1933 in Jacmel, Haiti and passed away on March 29, 2018, at the age of 84.
Life and Military
Gerard proudly served his country in the United States Air Force from May 6, 1957 to May 5, 1963. At the time of his discharge Gerard was eligible to wear the Air Force Good Conduct Award and the Air Force Longevity Service Award on his uniform. In 1961 while still in the military as a reservist, Gerard pursued a career in Component Engineering, accepting a job with Honeywell Aerospace in the Avionics Division. Shortly after, Gerard was transferred to United Aircraft in Connecticut where he continued his personal advancements in Avionics. In 1967 he returned to Florida and to Honeywell Aerospace where he worked with his team to develop guidance systems for such projects as, the MX Missiles, Minuteman Missiles, and the Apollo Spacecrafts. He made his way through the ranks in Avionics and after several years of hard work was promoted to the Logistics Division. Gerard Maglio retired and ended his career with Honeywell Aerospace on March 31, 1994 at the top of his game, as the Logistics Administrator.
Spaceflight always fascinated my Father.
When asked what he did for a living, He would always proudly reply,
“We put men on the moon…”
During his off time Gerard enjoyed travel, great food, animals, soccer, and if you knew him, table tennis. At one point Gerard was ranked #1 in Pinellas County, #2 in the state of Florida, and also ranked in the nations top 50 players, Seniors Division, in the USTTA (United States Table Tennis Association).
Family
He is survived by his loving and devoted spouse, Maria Maglio, his adorable dog, Isabella, and his boisterous bird, Cotica. Also remembered with love by his children; Michael Maglio, Gina Maglio Bonafede (Paul), Diana Maglio Hlavac (Chris), Marita Villarreal (Kiko), Robert Perez (Maggie). Gerard also leaves behind six grandchildren; Ryan Bonafede, Alexis Kersting, Nicholas Villarreal, Janessa Perez, JC Perez, and Danny Perez.
He will be lovingly missed and never forgotten…
May he rest in peace…
Services
A graveside service with military honors provided by the United States Air Force from MacDill AFB will be held at Bay Pines National Cemetery on Monday, April 30, 2018 at 2:15 pm. All guests planning on attending the ceremony should plan to arrive at 2:00 pm. The Patriot Guard Riders of Florida will also be in attendance as honored guests of the Maglio family. Bay Pines National Cemetery can be located at 10,000 Bay Pines Blvd St. Petersburg, Florida 33708.
Special Considerations
A very special thanks to all the staff at “Veterans Funeral Care…”
There are no words to describe the Respect, Love, and Honor you showed my Father and myself while he was in your care…
Thank you for all that you’ve done for us.
God Bless each and every one of you…
Friends, family, and those who served with Gerard are invited to share a memory and sign his guestbook below.
Hello Poppa…
I really miss you… And I am so very sorry… This is so much harder than I could have ever imagined…
As I sit here in front of the computer, like you and I used to do together, thinking about all the things I want to say… It’s with tears in my eyes that I realize, moments like this will never be the same… I can only hope that I’ve grown to be the Man you always wanted me to be…
You always taught me to be strong. So now, I guess it’s my turn…
They say that if you can touch the horizon, you have reached your journeys end…
You always had hope, and hope is like the Sun, which as you journey towards, casts the shadow of your burdens behind you… I now know that your journeys been long. And I was worried… But I got your message, and it eased my pain, for it was in that moment that I knew your horizon was near…
I realize now, that the road back home, is never as long as the road that led you away, for the Sun is on your Horizon, & you’ll be Home soon…
You will be eternally in my Heart…
I Love You Poppa, & I’ll always remember…
Michael
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Mr. Maglio, I never had the pleasure of meeting you in this life but I have heard many wonderful stories about you through your son and it is clear that you were loved. RIP sir and thank you for your service to our country.
I had the pleasure of working with Gerry at Honeywell, in the Logistics group. I was honored to be able to call him and Maria my friends. Gerry was a man with the highest integrity and intelligence. He had such a wonderful sense of humor and loved his work. I will always remember his fascination with technology and his achievements reflected his curiosity and knowledge. He told many stories of his experiences and hobbies with such delight. Gerry and I served together on the local Board of the Society Of Logistics Engineers (SOLE) for several years.
My prayers are with all of his family and friends.
I am sorry I was not aware of his passing until just recently, when I attempted to reach out to him and Maria, after moving back to Florida.
I will miss him and will continue to hold my memories of him close to my heart.