Final Salute

John Frank Pizzato died peacefully at home on July 28, 2022. Originally named Gianni Francesco Angelino Augustino Pizzato (and called “Gianfranco” by his mother), he was born on July 22, 1930, in Omaha, Nebraska. His parents, Ernesto Pizzato and Orsolina Girardi, immigrated from Italy in 1913 and 1923. He had a sister, Edda (Catalano) and a brother, Dino, who have died.
John attended the University of Omaha, then transferred to Iowa State, where he was a member of the Theta Delta Chi fraternity and graduated in 1952 with an engineering degree. While working for Chance Watt in Dallas that year, he was drafted into the Army, but instead joined the Navy. He served as a civil engineer (“CB” Construction Battalion) at Miramar and San Diego bases and was a lieutenant in the reserve for four decades.
John worked in El Cajon, Calif., for 33 years as a City Engineer and Director of Public Works. He was a member of the American Public Works Association and served as president of the San Diego and Imperial County chapters in 1967. After retiring in 1991, he moved to Coronado. He worked as a volunteer in the Coronado Police Department for 5 years and as a consultant at Algert Engineering for 18 years.
Two of John’s passions were tennis (by the late 80s) and playing duplicate bridge. Unless he was sick or out of town, John never gave up his weekly Duplicate Bridge game and earned the title of “Life Master”.
John was an active member of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in El Cajon and Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Coronado. He married Mary Hammack in 1955 and had a son, Mark, in 1960. Mary died in 1970. John married Mary Jane Gettens in 1997 and they celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in June.
John is survived by his wife Mary Jane, their sons Mark, and grandchildren Luke and Peter, as well as stepchildren Brett, Tal and Megan, and their husbands Shelley, Rula and Tal, step-grandchildren Lindsay, Michael, Tori, Matthew. , James, Levi, and Luke.
A memorial service will be held at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Coronado at 11:00 a.m. on 26 August, followed by a reception.
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Published by Legacy Funeral & Crematorium Care on August 13, 2022.

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