Michael Derrico
Served in U.S. Air Force for 20 years
Michael Derrico, 93, of Washington, passed away peacefully Friday morning, January 31, 2014, in Hawthorne Woods, South Strabane Township.
He was born May 18, 1920, in Loudonville, Ohio, and was raised in Washington, a son of the late Antonio and Carmela Bianca Derrico.
In 1941, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and was stationed at Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter, S.C. In 1945, he was discharged with the rank of staff sergeant. He returned to Washington and worked for Albert’s Meat Packing until 1946, when he re-enlisted in the Air Force. He was stationed at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland and was a crew chief.
On September 5, 1958, he married Josephine Owen Taylor.
In 1960, his crew was transferred to Lockbourne Air Force Base in Ohio. In 1962, he was discharged with the rank of tech sergeant. After his discharge, he and his wife bought a farm in Charles County, White Plains, Md., where they built and operated a greenhouse. He worked as a civilian aircraft mechanic at Fort Belvoir, retiring in 1967.
When he was a young man, his cousin taught him to play the guitar. During his years in the service, he was always a member of a small band that entertained at various events. When he moved to Maryland, he joined a band that often entertained veterans at the Charlotte Hall Veterans Home in Charlotte Hall, Md.
In 1995, his wife’s health started to decline. He took care of her at home until she died in 1998. He stayed in Maryland until June 2013, when he came back home and moved into Hawthorne Woods.
Surviving are nephew Samuel (Patricia) Osso, great-nieces Mindy (Richard) Earliwine and Lisa (David) Hasson, niece Virginia (John) Ullom, great-nephew John (Jodi) Alberta and niece Mary Ann Fox, all of Washington; great nephew Thomas (Barbara) Fox of Smithfield, N.C.; nieces Susan (David) Morgan of Washington and Lisa Fox (James) Hawranko of Pittsburgh; niece Margaret (John) Skariot of Washington; great-nieces Jennifer (Brandt) Bowman of Mt. Lebanon and Lisa Skariot of Pittsburgh; nephew Edward (Jill) Joseph of Allentown; great-nephew John Joseph; niece Michele Solomon of DuBois; great-nieces Tami Head of Biloxi, Miss., and Shelly (Lewie) Terrebone of Altoona; great-nephews John Solomon of Brookville and Joshua Solomon of DuBois; nephew David (Michele) Joseph of DuBois; great-niece Emily of DuBois; great-nephew Shaun Joseph of San Diego, Calif.; and several great-great-nieces and nephews.
Deceased, in addition to his wife, are two sisters, Elvera Osso and Valverdine Joseph; a brother, Arthur; three nephews, Samuel Osso Jr., Harry Fox and Anthony Solomon; and a niece, Rebecca Joseph.
The family will have a private service in National Cemetery of the Alleghenies, Cecil Township, where his brother, Arthur, is buried. Arrangements are being handled by William G. Neal Funeral Homes Ltd., 925 Allison Avenue, Washington. Additional information and guest book are available at www.NealFuneralHome.com.