John J. Ferrante, 90, passed away on February 11, 2017. John was born in Boston to Thomas and Virginia Ferrante and was married to the love of his life, Marie (Buonanno) for over 64 years and had four children. He is survived by his wife, Marie, and his children, Carolyn Williams (husband, Don, daughter, Lynle), Ormond Beach, FL ; John Ferrante (wife, Marybeth), Wilmington, DE; Patricia Ferrante, Encinitas, CA and Mark Ferrante (wife, Susan) and two grandsons, Jordan and Jovan Ferrante, Jensen Beach, FL.

John grew up in Milton, MA, and was an accomplished high school athlete. He was selected by Hugh Duffy to participate in the Boston Red Sox instructional program at Fenway Park for third base at the age of seventeen and he signed a baseball contract with the Boston Braves (later to become the Atlanta Braves) prior to entering the Navy in WWII in June,1944. Because of his Navy experience, where he qualified for a special advanced radio program (SAR), he opted to pursue an Engineering career. With his Navy training completed, he was assigned to Treasure Island, CA, where he would support Marine landings with radio communications. He completed his tour of duty at Pearl Harbor in August, 1946.

He graduated from Cornell University in 1952 with a five year degree in electrical engineering and completed the three year General Electric Advanced Engineering program as a young employee with the company. During his 35 years with General Electric, John pioneered the development of numerous major programs including nuclear power plant control for the Seawolf submarine (1955), navigation guidance and control for the NASA Apollo feasibility studies (1960), integrated computer checkout for the Air Force's manned orbiting laboratory (MOL, 1966) and technical management of the country's premier satellite surveillance program (1970). Later he managed the development of a 45 ton, super conducting magnet for Oak Ridge's large coil, fusion energy program (1975), and a 275 ton superconducting magnet for MIT's magneto hydro-dynamic program for a Butte, Montana installation (1978). A sub-scale mirror focusing superconducting magnet prototype for Brookhaven's Project Isabelle (1983) was also successfully demonstrated.

The above efforts were conducted in Schenectady, NY 1951-1959 and1975 - 1985; Philadelphia, PA 1959-1962 and 1970-1975; Daytona Beach, FL 1962-1970. These programs which he successfully proposed and managed amounted to several billion in today's dollars. The MOL program alone provided financial support for several thousand employees for GE's Daytona Beach APOLLO Support Department from 1964 to 1970 as GE transitioned from the termination of APOLLO to the future. John and Marie returned to Ormond Beach in 1988. Among a lifetime of achievements, his greatest stroke of luck was meeting his future wife, Marie, on a blind date in Philadelphia. After all these years together, he was still marveling on how fate could have been so kind for him to have met this remarkable woman, a combination of Florence Nightingale, Mother Theresa and a loving wife and mother. She was the love of his life.

After retirement, he redirected his passion for his work to the game of golf. He enjoyed both playing golf and spending time developing his children's skills for the game. All are accomplished golfers. He was a past member of Chester Valley Golf Club, Frazier, PA, the Edison Club, Redford, NY and finally at Oceanside Country Club, Ormond Beach where he spent many of his days on the driving range. He also had an amazing "green thumb" and gift
for gardening yielding annual gifts of grapefruit, bananas, tomatoes and figs for friends and family; and enjoyed feeding and watching his birds and squirrels in his backyard. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

There will be a mass for John at St. Brendan's on Tuesday, February 21st at 11:00AM. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Alzheimer's Association.

Arrangements are under the careful direction of Lohman Funeral Home Ormond. Condolences may be shared with the family on this online registry.