Born January 7, 1930 in Tarrytown, NY to the late Joseph N. and Irene (Martin) Rizzi, he grew up with his older brother Joseph and sister Irene in Tarrytown, graduating from Washington Irving High School before attending Columbia University on a ROTC scholarship.
At a young age he became enamored of aviation and took flying lessons as a teenager, completing his first solo flight when he was only 16. He left Columbia University in 1951 to become a pilot with Pan American World Airways. During one of his trips he met his lovely wife, and they married in October 1961. Over a 39-year career spanning the golden age of air travel, he advanced from co-pilot on piston-engine propeller planes to early jet airliners to captaining the Boeing 747 – the largest passenger aircraft of its time. He retired in 1990 as the senior Captain at Pan American having accumulated over 30,000 flying hours and nearly 2,000 trans-atlantic crossings.
After retirement, he flew as a pilot on corporate/business jets for various charter companies and remained involved in various aviation events and groups up until his passing.
A fervent believer in volunteer service, Ed served on the Board of Trustees of the Sherman Library Association and as President of the Lake Mauweehoo Club and his neighborhood association. He donated generously to many causes including environmental, education, and humanitarian groups. He loved to travel and had a wonderful sense of humor.
Ed was preceded in death by his parents and older brother Joe.
He is survived by his wife Marietta, sister Irene, three sons: Roland (and wife Annette) of Lutz, FL, Philip (and wife Lori) of Arlington, VA, and Patrick (and wife Margaret) of Alexandria, VA, and seven grandchildren: Roland, Nicholas, Patrick, Anna, Charlotte, Lillian, and Spencer.
A memorial service will be held at St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church in New Fairfield, CT at 11 a.m. Friday, February 24, 2023, with a reception for family and friends immediately following at Biscotti's Ristorante in New Fairfield. A private interment ceremony will be held at the family plot in Tarrytown, NY at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Edward’s memory may be made to Sherman Cares, Inc., P.O. Box 611, Sherman, CT 06784 or http://shermancares.org. The family wishes to acknowledge the wonderful care provided by the staff of New Milford Hospital.
