Michael A Scarfia

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Funeral arrangements have been made for lifelong Staten Islander Michael Scarfia, 65, of Great Kills. The retired New York City police officer, magazine publisher and hard working man with an abiding love of family and flying, died Saturday when the twin-engine helicopter he was piloting went down in a field in West Windsor, N.J.

Mr. Scarfia grew up in Rosebank. He graduated from the former Augustinian Academy, Grymes Hill, in 1964. He went on to earn a bachelor's in business from Pace University in Manhattan in 1968.

That same year, Mr. Scarfia joined the U.S. Air Force, serving at an air force base in Sheppard, Tex., where he earned his pilot's license.

From 1969 to 1970, he served in Vietnam as an aircraft mechanic. Mr. Scarfia moved to Fort Wadsworth after returning from the service.

He moved to New Dorp in 1973 and to Great Kills in 1983.

After working briefly as a teller for Citbank in Manhattan, Mr. Scarfia became an officer with the New York City Police Department. During much of his 18-year-career, he was stationed at the Midtown North 18th Precinct. He retired from the South Shore's 123rd Precinct.

While he was a police officer, Mr. Scarfia owned the Raritan Rifel and Pistol Range, in Charleston, for about five years.

For three decades, he was also the publisher of Homes and Land Magazine, which he oversaw with his wife of 44 years, the former Jean Palisay. They sold the magazine two years ago, but he was still working as a private helicopter pilot for Liberty Helicopters and Analar, in Kearny, N.J.

As a pilot with the private companies, he would shuttle celebrities and VIPs to their homes in the Hamptons, and other destinations.

Mr. Scarfia earned his helicopter pilot license in 1977 from the from the Fort Rucker U.S. Army Aviation Center. He was a member of the U.S. Army National Guard for nearly two decades, retiring as a major in 1994.

As a young man, Mr. Scarfia was active with the Richmond Pilots.

For many years he owned and flew his single engine plane to such destinations as the Bahamas and Myrtle Beach, S.C.

"If he didn't have anything to do he was like a lion in a cage, he had to be busy all the time," said his wife, Jean Scarfia. "He liked to travel."

Mr. Scarfia also enjoyed riding his Harley Davidson Sporter motorcycle.

He was a gifted musician who played the organ, accordion and guitar. He shared his joy for music with his grandsons by teaching them to play, said his daughter.

"He cooked with his grandchildren, taught them music, played with them, traveled with them, swam with them," said his daughter, Elizabeth Colaiocco, fondly recalling family trips to Aruba, Disney World, and cruises. He was looking forward to a trip this fall to Atlantis in the Bahamas with his family.

Mr. Scarfia was also an avid golfer. He was outgoing, and liked to go bowling, play poker with friends, and care for his pet dog, Oreo.

After his son, Michael, died in an auto accident in 1990, he and his wife worked to set up a memorial scholarship fund to help other youngsters. The Michael Scarfia Scholarship was awarded through the Department for the Aging Intergeneration Work Study Program, which helped to match at-risk students with older people for jointly rewarding activities.

Surviving, in addition to his wife, Jean, and daughter, Elizabeth, are his two sisters, Sandy Picataggio and Nancy Roe, and three grandsons.

The funeral will be Friday at 11 a.m. in the Casey-McCallum-Rice South Shore Funeral Home, Great Kills. Burial will be in Moravian Cemetery, New Dorp.