Raymond Ferrante was nothing if not generous and selfless, a man always looking to help others and stand up for the common good.
The immensely accomplished military serviceman, father, and husband died recently in a car crash in Long Valley, and will be laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery, according to his obituary.
Ferrante, 68, of Long Valley, was born in the Bronx. After two years at Manhattan College, he joined the Army’s 101st Airborne Division as a helicopter pilot. That taste of flying led to his lifelong passion and career, with Ferrante logging more than 25,000 flight hours.
During the Vietnam war, Ferrante completed more than 2,100 hours of combat flight time and received 48 Air Medals, three with Valor as well as a Bronze Star.
He returned to Vietnam with Air America for three years, where he met his wife Sherry in Saigon, then worked in Iran, Mexico, the Arctic, Morocco, the Bahamas, and Saudi Arabia.
Ferranted joined Trump Airlines in 1984 and later worked as the Donald Trump’s personal pilot. He retired from the New Jersey National Guard in 2006 as a CW5 Chief Warrant Officer, which is the highest rank achievable by an Army Warrant Officer, having spent more than 20 years serving.
In his down time, Ferrante was a skilled carpenter, builder, and loved all things mechanical, including classic cars. It was the meticulously restored 1961 Chevrolet Corvette that Ferrante died in.
He is survived by his wife, Sherry, daughter Nancy, and two sons, James and Warren.
A memorial celebration will be held at the Ferrante residence on May 2 from 1 to 4 p.m., and the veteran will be laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested memorial donations be made to the Army Aviation Association of America, the NJARNG Yellow Ribbon Program, or a national veterans charity of choice.
See related stories:
Cops: Long Valley Man Killed in Two-Car Crash in Washington Twp.
Trump Pays Tribute to Personal Pilot, Long Valley Man Killed in Car Crash
Original article can be found here: http://patch.com
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