Gino O. Conti

Gino O. Conti, CMSgt, USAF, Ret., died Saturday, 24 December 2016 at Baptist Memorial Hospital- Golden Triangle. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Gunter & Peel Funeral Home. A Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated Thursday 29 December 2016 at Annunciation Catholic Church at 11:00 AM with Father Robert Dore and Father Paul Stewart, celebrants.  Fathers Joseph Vu, Kevin Dowling, and Antony Chakkalakkal  will be co-celebrants. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Burial, with full military honors, will immediately follow at Memorial Gardens Cemetery.

The son of the late Mario and Anna Casella Conti, Chief was born 21 July 1920 in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. He was raised in Brooklyn, NY and became a US citizen in Oxford, MS in 1952.  He served a total of 30 years on active duty, 8 years in the Army/Air Corps and 22 years in the USAF. His occupational specialty was air craft maintenance. He retired in 1970 at Craig Air Force Base, Selma, AL, with an Honorable Discharge of with the rank of CMSgt.

He and his wife, the late Ila Wave Lane, who died in 2014, moved to Columbus and became very active in the Chiefs’ Association. He assisted in organizing the Chiefs ‘Group at Columbus AFB and had been a member for 25 years.  He was responsible for the Chiefs’ Christmas Dinner for many years.  He was a Roman Catholic and attended the CAFB Chapel. He was a Star Past Grand Knight with the W.H. Jolly Council, Knights of Columbus at Annunciation Catholic Church and was a 4th Degree Knight in the Meridian Council.

In addition to his parents and his wife, he was predeceased by his brothers Joseph and Enzo Conti, his sister Anna de Frates and his son Daryl Conti. He is survived by his daughter-in-law Judy Conti of Tuscon, AZ and four granddaughters Samantha Conti Schaaf (Jack), Robyn Conti, Stephanie Conti Adame (Alberto) and Rebecca Conti Sanchez (Richard).

Pallbearers will be Sonic Johnson, Vance Kondon, John Bino, Stephen Butler, and Bill Adams.

Memorials may be made to Annunciation Catholic School, 223 North Browder, Columbus, MS 39702.