Mr. Cella will be remembered at a Memorial Gathering on Saturday, August 28, 2010, from 2-4 pm at the LaMonica Memorial Home 145 E. Mt. Pleasant Ave, Livingston. Funeral services were held privately. In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to the Salvation Army or Smile Train. For those wishing to offer a tribute, please visit mem.com.
Al was born in Paterson, NJ on February 4, 1934. He grew up in Cedar Grove and attended Bloomfield High School where he graduated in 1951. He also worked his way up through the Boy Scouts eventually becoming an Eagle Scout. Al was attending Fairleigh Dickinson University when he enlisted in the US Air Force during the height of the Korean War. He was a patriot who proudly served as a Flight Navigator until his discharge in 1955. He entered California Polytechnic Institute, the #1 Engineering School in the country, and graduated in 1958 with a BS in Mechanical/Nuclear Engineering.
Al began his career with SWEPCO Tube where he worked until entering the business world on an independent basis in 1963. His business ventures have been all encompassing and directed primarily towards the world’s Energy Sector. His was the owner and President of PIPECO, Nuclear Power Products, Inc., and Universal Testing Laboratories. His International associations included Ansaldo of Italy, KWU/Siemens of Germany, and Sumitomo of Japan.
Throughout his career, Al made many friends and contacts all over the world and was highly recognized for his efforts and accomplishments. He received the “Who’s Who in Frontier Science and Technology” award and was the holder of numerous US Patents. He was a member of the distinguished Circumnavigators Club, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, American Nuclear Society, American Society of Metal, and the American Society of Testing Materials, to name a few.
Al was predeceased by his parents, Alexander and Francesca Cella, brothers August and Albert Cella, and sisters Julia Guarini and Elisa Cella. He is survived by his beloved wife of 52 years Elizabeth (Betty) (nee Hall) Cella, his loving children Ellen Sorensen, and her husband Mark, Kathy Cella, and Heidi Schwegler, and her husband Robert, his cherished grandchildren, Elizabeth Ann, Amelia, and Robert, as well as his dog Lucky.
When Al wasn’t working, he could be found flying his private plane out of the Caldwell Airport or skiing. He especially loved the village of Zermatt, Switzerland. His greatest love was his family to whom he devoted his life. Al lived a full life and accomplished great things touching the lives of many. To those who came to know him, he was a gentle man with a kind and generous heart but to his family he was the world.
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