Michael Lepanto

Michael Lepanto Cranford Resident, Flight Engineer, flew the first non-stop airline flight from NY to Hawaii Michael Lepanto, 95, a Cranford resident for the past 38 years, died May 25, 2012. Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 9:30AM Wednesday May 30, 2012, in St. Michael's Catholic Church, Cranford. Interment will be private. Visitation will be 3:00-7:00PM Tuesday May 29 at Gray Memorial Funeral Home, 12 Springfield Ave., Cranford (www.grayfuneralhomes.com to offer condolences). In 1977, Mr. Lepanto was retired from United Airlines, where he started in 1942 as a mechanic. He worked his way up to Flight Engineer of a DC-10 aircraft. in 1969, he was part of the crew which flew the first non stop inaugural flight of any airline from New York to Honolulu, Hawaii. He also flew the remains of the late Charles A. Lindbergh to Maui, Hawaii for burial. During World War II, he worked on military aircraft which were used in the war effort. Born in New York, Michael was raised in Brooklyn, where he later attended Brooklyn College. He was preceded in death by two daughters: Rosanne and Pauline, sister:Concetta, and brother:Phillip. He is survived by his wife of nearly 50 years, Emily, three children: son, Michael Lepanto and his wife:Patricia, daughter: Emily I. Pollack and her husband John, son: Robert P. Lepanto and his wife Donna, 10 grandchildren: Albert, Jeanine, and Lisa; Susan and Christopher Lepanto, Ibrahim Michael, Anthony G., Dominique P., and Joseph R. Pollack, Gianna Rose Lepanto, and several great grandchildren.