Joseph John Ciampa

Lt. Col Joseph J. Ciampa Ret., born in the North End of Boston MA on Oct 24, 1932, died at home surrounded by his family on January 7, 2012 after a brief battle with cancer. He is survived by his loving wife Mary A. (Monteforte) Ciampa of 57 years; his children, John L. Ciampa & his wife Vikki of Buzzards Bay, Donna DeStefano & her husband David of Plymouth, Michelle Tourjee & her husband Eric of Mashpee, Joseph & Jill Ciampa of Pocasset, and Deena Mozeleski & her husband John of Forestdale. He also leaves his brother John Ciampa of FL and his sister Maria Ciampa of Boston; fifteen grandchildren: Jeffery, Michael & Joanna Ciampa, Jacob, Leigh & Samuel DeStefano, Eric & Daniel Tourjee, Kristie, Karlie, & Joseph J Ciampa III, and Maria, Sophia, John & Nicholas Mozeleski.

Col. Ciampa was a Master Navigator in the USAF for 21 years. After retiring from the Air Force he received two Masters Degrees in education and administration from Bridgewater State College. He went on to teach JR Air Force ROTC at Quincy High School for 20 years. Some of his many proud accomplishments included being a finalist in the 1955 Olympic Trials

throwing the Javelin, being lead navigator refueling the first non-stop flight of a B-52 circumventing the globe, and being a Vietnam Veteran.

Col. Ciampa was many things to many people: an adored husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and teacher. He loved to travel with his family, coach, teach, bowl, & Friday nights and the dog track. He was always the life of the party and will be missed by everyone.

Visiting hours will be held from 4 to 8 pm on Wednesday, Jan. 11 at the Nickerson-Bourne Funeral Home, 40 MacArthur Blvd. in Bourne. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday at 11 am at St. John the Evangelist Church, 841 Shore Rd., Pocasset. Burial follows in the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne. In lieu of flowers, gifts in his memory may be made to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or Disabled American Veterans Memorial Program, Attn: Gift Processing, PO Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301.